Chapter 4 of The story of iron is here in full — 145 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The story of iron is here in full — 145 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps. “Did I understand?” interrupted Uncle John, “Mr. Murphy?” “Yes,” answered Billy, “Mr. Thomas Murphy the timekeeper.” “Exactly,” said Uncle John. “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
Chapter 4 of The story of iron is here in full — 145 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/29 · 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.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
factory where metal castings are produced
From this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
discontinued temporarily
From this reading ““Did I understand?” interrupted Uncle John, “Mr. Murphy?””
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading ““Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.””
plural of “move” — the act of deciding to do something
From this reading ““Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.””
an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading ““Yes,” answered Billy, “Mr. Thomas Murphy the timekeeper.””
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.
In this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
In this reading ““Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.””
In this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
In this reading “THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.”
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.
later than; following
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “Yes,” answered Billy, “Mr. Thomas Murphy the timekeeper.”
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “Did I understand?” interrupted Uncle John, “Mr. Murphy?”
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading “Exactly,” said Uncle John.
factory where metal castings are produced
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Did I understand?” interrupted Uncle John, “Mr. Murphy?”
discontinued temporarily
From this reading “Did I understand?” interrupted Uncle John, “Mr. Murphy?”
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
plural of “move” — the act of deciding to do something
From this reading “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading “Yes,” answered Billy, “Mr. Thomas Murphy the timekeeper.”
(sports) an official who keeps track of the time elapsed
From this reading “Yes,” answered Billy, “Mr. Thomas Murphy the timekeeper.”
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading “Did I understand?” interrupted Uncle John, “Mr. Murphy?”
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
at the time that
From this reading THE FOUNDRY “My friend, Mr. Murphy,” said Billy, one night after supper, when he and Uncle John were sitting side by side on the steps.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading “Mr. Murphy,” Billy went on, “says that iron moves the world.”
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes,” answered Billy, “Mr. Thomas Murphy the timekeeper.”
Chapter 4 of The story of iron by Elizabeth Ida Samuel holds 145 sentences, grouped into 29 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.
Chapter 4 holds 145 sentences of The story of iron, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The story of iron by Elizabeth Ida Samuel exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 145 sentences, grouped into 29 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 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 29 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 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.
Common questions about reading The story of iron by Elizabeth Ida Samuel on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2261 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #68492 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #68492, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 188 minutes of reading across 453 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The story of iron section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of The story of iron 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 story of iron, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
