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The World for Sale, Volume 2.
The World for Sale, Volume 2.

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The World for Sale, Volume 2. is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The World for Sale, Volume 2.
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.
His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.
He had what the West called nerve.
That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.
He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The World for Sale, Volume 2.

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The World for Sale, Volume 2. is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.
Line 2
His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.
Line 3
He had what the West called nerve.
/hiː hæd wʌt ðə west kɔːld nɜːrv/
Line 4
That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.
/ðæt ðə ˈkraɪsəs θruː wɪtʃ hiː hæd pæst wɑːz ðæt ʌv ə frendz laɪf dɪd nɑːt ˈlesən ðə ˈpɔɪnjənsi ʌv ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns/
Line 5
He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

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.

economy noun US /ɪˈkɑːnəmi/

the system of production and distribution and consumption

From this reading “He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.”

lessen verb US /ˈlesən/

decrease in size, extent, or range

From this reading “That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.”

moist adjective US /mɔɪst/

slightly wet

From this reading “His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.”

poignancy noun US /ˈpɔɪnjənsi/

a state of deeply felt distress or sorrow

From this reading “That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.”

ranges noun US /ˈreɪndʒəz/

plural of “range” — an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading “He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.”

refinement noun US /rəˈfaɪnmənt/

a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

From this reading “He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.”

Rockwell noun US /ˈrɑːkwel/

United States illustrator whose works present a sentimental idealized view of everyday life (1894-1978)

From this reading “"LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.”

singularly adverb US /ˈsɪŋɡjələrli/

in a singular manner or to a singular degree

From this reading “He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.”

All words in this reading · 65

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 "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

Barbazon's

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

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

BEauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

bedroomnounUS /ˈbedruːm/

a room used primarily for sleeping

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He had what the West called nerve.

colourlessadjective

lacking in variety and interest

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/

an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

distinctionnounUS /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/

a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

Dr

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

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

economynounUS /ɪˈkɑːnəmi/

the system of production and distribution and consumption

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

friend'snounUS /frendz/

possessive form of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had what the West called nerve.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had what the West called nerve.

higheradjectiveUS /ˈhaɪər/

advanced in complexity or elaboration

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

Ingolby's

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

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

lessenverbUS /ˈlesən/

decrease in size, extent, or range

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

LETauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

LIGHTadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

moistadjectiveUS /mɔɪst/

slightly wet

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

naturallyadverbUS /ˈnætʃərəli/

as might be expected

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

nervenounUS /nɜːrv/

any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body

From this reading He had what the West called nerve.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

oforetime

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

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

poignancynounUS /ˈpɔɪnjənsi/

a state of deeply felt distress or sorrow

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

rangesnounUS /ˈreɪndʒəz/

plural of “range” — an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

refinementnounUS /rəˈfaɪnmənt/

a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

reservedadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɜːrvd/

set aside for the use of a particular person or party

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

RockwellnounUS /ˈrɑːkwel/

United States illustrator whose works present a sentimental idealized view of everyday life (1894-1978)

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

shocknounUS /ʃɑːk/

the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

singularlyadverbUS /ˈsɪŋɡjələrli/

in a singular manner or to a singular degree

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

socialadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊʃəl/

relating to human society and its members

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

TavernnounUS /ˈtævərn/

a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

THEREadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "LET THERE BE LIGHT" In Ingolby's bedroom, on the night of the business at Barbazon's Tavern, Dr. Rockwell received a shock.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

WestnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading He had what the West called nerve.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading He had what the West called nerve.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading That the crisis through which he had passed was that of a friend's life did not lessen the poignancy of the experience.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading His face, naturally colourless, was almost white, and his eyes were moist.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading He had a singularly reserved manner and a rare economy of words; also, he had the refinement and distinction of one who had, oforetime, moved on the higher ranges of social life.

Chapter 4 of The World for Sale, Volume 2. by Gilbert Parker holds 225 sentences, grouped into 45 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.

What does chapter 4 of The World for Sale, Volume 2. contain?

Chapter 4 holds 225 sentences of The World for Sale, Volume 2., unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The World for Sale, Volume 2. by Gilbert Parker exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 225 sentences, grouped into 45 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 World for Sale, Volume 2.?

Work through the 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 45 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 World for Sale, Volume 2.

Common questions about reading The World for Sale, Volume 2. by Gilbert Parker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The World for Sale, Volume 2.?

Yes. All 2366 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6282 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The World for Sale, Volume 2. is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6282, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The World for Sale, Volume 2. take to read?

About 197 minutes of reading across 474 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The World for Sale, Volume 2. section by section

How to work through The World for Sale, Volume 2. section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of The World for Sale, Volume 2. 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 World for Sale, Volume 2.

Words and structures a reader meets early in The World for Sale, Volume 2., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Promptly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The World for Sale, Volume 2.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
O'clock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The World for Sale, Volume 2.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Jethro
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The World for Sale, Volume 2.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Knocked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The World for Sale, Volume 2.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.