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The Spider Web
The Spider Web

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Spider Web is here in full — 373 sentences across 75 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Spider Web
Context Illustration Reading 1/74 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.
I.
James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.
The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.
Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.
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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 Spider Web

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Spider Web is here in full — 373 sentences across 75 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/74 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.
Line 2
I.
/aɪ/
Line 3
James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.
Line 4
The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.
Line 5
Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

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.

Admiralty noun US /ˈædmərəlti/

the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)

From this reading “The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.”

daybreak noun US /ˈdeɪbreɪk/

the first light of day

From this reading “James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.”

Germany noun US /ˈdʒɜːrməni/

a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990

From this reading “Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.”

pebble noun US /ˈpebəl/

a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading “Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.”

ringing noun US /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading “James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.”

ripples noun US /ˈrɪpəlz/

plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid

From this reading “Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.”

sticky adjective US /ˈstɪki/

having the sticky properties of an adhesive

From this reading “STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.”

widened verb US /ˈwaɪdənd/

past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive

From this reading “Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.”

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.

telephone bell noun + noun

electric bell that rings to signal a call

In this reading “James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.”

before daybreak preposition + noun

In this reading “James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.”

on the coast preposition + article + noun counted as “on … coast”

In this reading “Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.”

Little Woman adjective + noun

In this reading “The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.”

All words in this reading · 58

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.

1

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

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

14

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

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

20

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

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

43

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

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

AdmiraltynounUS /ˈædmərəlti/

the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

AnnanounUS /ˈænə/

a former copper coin of Pakistan and India

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/

aroused or activated

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

BanknounUS /bæŋk/

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

bellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

Borkum

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

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

coastnounUS /koʊst/

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

ConsiderverbUS /kənˈsɪdər/

deem to be

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/

the first light of day

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

Dogger

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

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

droppedverbUS /drɑːpt/

inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

DutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

ENDSnounUS /endz/

plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

GermanynounUS /ˈdʒɜːrməni/

a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

how

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

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

informedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmd/

having much knowledge or education

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

JamesnounUS /dʒeɪmz/

a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

JunenounUS /dʒuːn/

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

LnounUS /el/

a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditions; now equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (or approximately 1.75 pints)

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

observeverbUS /əbˈzɜːrv/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

pebblenounUS /ˈpebəl/

a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

poolnounUS /puːl/

an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/

plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/

the state of being asleep

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

southnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

STICKYadjectiveUS /ˈstɪki/

having the sticky properties of an adhesive

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/

electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

U-B

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

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

U-C

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

From this reading STICKY ENDS OF L 43, U-C 1, AND U-B 20.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading James the One was awakened before daybreak on June 14 by the ringing of his telephone bell.

widenedverbUS /ˈwaɪdənd/

past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive

From this reading Consider the ringing of the bell the pebble dropped in the sleeping pool, and observe how the ripples widened, and ever widened, until they broke on the coast of Germany.

WomannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The Duty Captain at the Admiralty informed him that the Little Woman at Borkum said _Anna_ was at the Dogger Bank going south.

Chapter 4 of The Spider Web by T. D. Hallam holds 373 sentences, grouped into 75 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 Spider Web contain?

Chapter 4 holds 373 sentences of The Spider Web, unabridged, divided into 75 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Spider Web by T. D. Hallam exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 373 sentences, grouped into 75 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 Spider Web?

Work through the 75 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 75 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 Spider Web

Common questions about reading The Spider Web by T. D. Hallam on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Spider Web?

Yes. All 2880 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #50339 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Spider Web is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #50339, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Spider Web take to read?

About 240 minutes of reading across 576 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Spider Web section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 8 chapters of The Spider Web 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 Spider Web

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

Https
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spider Web; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
William
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spider Web; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Blackwood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spider Web; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edinburgh
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spider Web; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.