Chapter 23 of The soul of a bishop is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of The soul of a bishop is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor. “In these uncertain times,” he began. “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply. “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man. “I oughtn't to have telegraphed,” he said.
Chapter 23 of The soul of a bishop is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading ““In these uncertain times,” he began.”
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading ““Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.”
the organ of sight
From this reading ““Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.”
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading ““Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.”
in an aggressive manner
From this reading ““Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.”
past form of “telegraph” — send cables, wires, or telegrams
From this reading ““I oughtn't to have telegraphed,” he said.”
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading ““In these uncertain times,” he began.”
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading ““In these uncertain times,” he began.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “In these uncertain times,” he began.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
the organ of sight
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I oughtn't to have telegraphed,” he said.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “In these uncertain times,” he began.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “In these uncertain times,” he began.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
a metric unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I oughtn't to have telegraphed,” he said.
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
carry out
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
past form of “telegraph” — send cables, wires, or telegrams
From this reading “I oughtn't to have telegraphed,” he said.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “In these uncertain times,” he began.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading “In these uncertain times,” he began.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I oughtn't to have telegraphed,” he said.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading “In these uncertain times,” he began.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why shouldn't I take a risk too, Daddy?” said Eleanor sharply.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Mm,” said Serope with his eye on Eleanor.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “I know there's that side of it,” said the young man.
Chapter 23 of The soul of a bishop by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 200 sentences, grouped into 40 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.
Chapter 23 holds 200 sentences of The soul of a bishop, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of The soul of a bishop by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 200 sentences, grouped into 40 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 40 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The soul of a bishop by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5173 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1269 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1269, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 431 minutes of reading across 1035 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The soul of a bishop section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of The soul of a bishop to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The soul of a bishop, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
