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William—the fourth
William—the fourth

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of William—the fourth is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Richmal Crompton • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for William—the fourth
Context Illustration Reading 1/51 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.
2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.
That’s a very important point.
You must admit that we’re all human beings?”
Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.
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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.

William—the fourth

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of William—the fourth is here in full — 258 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/51 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.
Line 2
2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.
Line 3
That’s a very important point.
Line 4
You must admit that we’re all human beings?”
Line 5
Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.

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.

aged adjective US /eɪdʒd/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading “Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Britain noun US /ˈbrɪtən/

a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

From this reading “2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Copyright noun US /ˈkɑːpiraɪt/

a document granting exclusive right to publish and sell literary or musical or artistic work

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eloquent adjective US /ˈeləkwənt/

expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

From this reading “Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nineteen noun US /ˈnaɪnˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eighteen and one

From this reading “Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Reserved adjective US /rɪˈzɜːrvd/

set aside for the use of a particular person or party

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strand noun US /strænd/

a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole

From this reading “TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
three-quarters noun US /ˌθriːˈkwɔːrtərz/

three of four equal parts

From this reading “Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

important point adjective + noun

In this reading “That’s a very important point.”

1,101 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 47

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.

1924

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
2

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading That’s a very important point.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
admitverbUS /ədˈmɪt/

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading You must admit that we’re all human beings?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/

plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BritainnounUS /ˈbrɪtən/

a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CnounUS /siː/

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CopyrightnounUS /ˈkɑːpiraɪt/

a document granting exclusive right to publish and sell literary or musical or artistic work

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eloquentadjectiveUS /ˈeləkwənt/

expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

From this reading Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Fakenham

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HOUSEnounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading That’s a very important point.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Jameson

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Ltd

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading You must admit that we’re all human beings?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nineteennounUS /ˈnaɪnˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eighteen and one

From this reading Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading That’s a very important point.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PrintedverbUS /ˈprɪntɪd/

past form of “print” — put into print

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PublishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ReadingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ReservedadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɜːrvd/

set aside for the use of a particular person or party

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RightsnounUS /raɪts/

plural of “right” — an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SOUTHAMPTON

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

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

Pending verification
STRANDnounUS /strænd/

a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STREETnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You must admit that we’re all human beings?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
That's

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

From this reading That’s a very important point.

Pending verification
three-quartersnounUS /ˌθriːˈkwɔːrtərz/

three of four equal parts

From this reading Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TOWERnounUS /ˈtaʊər/

a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading That’s a very important point.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WnounUS /ˈdʌbəljuː/

a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite

From this reading TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND, W.C.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Jameson Jameson, aged nineteen and three-quarters, was very eloquent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
we're

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
Wyman

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

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Pending verification
YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading 2 _Copyright_ _All Rights Reserved_ _First Published_ _1924_ _Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ “You see,” said Jameson Jameson, “we’re all human beings.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of William—the fourth by Richmal Crompton holds 258 sentences, grouped into 52 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 1 of William—the fourth contain?

Chapter 1 holds 258 sentences of William—the fourth, unabridged, divided into 52 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of William—the fourth by Richmal Crompton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 258 sentences, grouped into 52 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 1 of William—the fourth?

Work through the 52 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 52 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 William—the fourth

Common questions about reading William—the fourth by Richmal Crompton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of William—the fourth?

Yes. All 4416 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66971 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of William—the fourth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #66971, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does William—the fourth take to read?

About 368 minutes of reading across 884 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read William—the fourth section by section

How to work through William—the fourth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of William—the fourth 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 William—the fourth

Words and structures a reader meets early in William—the fourth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Tower
A word that appears in the opening chapter of William—the fourth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
House
A word that appears in the opening chapter of William—the fourth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Southampton
A word that appears in the opening chapter of William—the fourth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Street
A word that appears in the opening chapter of William—the fourth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.