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The Sign of the Four
The Sign of the Four

Chapter III · Chapter 03: Chapter IV

Chapter IV The Story of the Bald-Headed Man We followed the Indian down a sordid and common passage, ill-lit and worse furnished, until he came to a door upon the right, which he threw open.

Chapter 03: Chapter IV, section 1: In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned. He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest d
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.
He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.
“There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.
“The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”
“What! you have solved it already?”
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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 Sign of the Four

Chapter III · Chapter 03: Chapter IV

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.
Line 2
He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.
Line 3
“There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.
Line 4
“The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”
Line 5
“What! you have solved it already?”

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““What! you have solved it already?””

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading ““What! you have solved it already?””

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading ““The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.””

Returned noun US /ˈreturned/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.”

All words in this reading · 57

Every word is available to listen to. 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 In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

admit

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

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “What! you have solved it already?”

alternated

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

appear

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

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

blackest

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

bright

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

case

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

cup

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

depression

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

eager

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

excellent

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

explanation

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

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

facts

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

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

fits

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

five

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

half-past

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “What! you have solved it already?”

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

Holmes

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

matter

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

mood

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

mystery

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

only

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

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

out

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

poured

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

Quest

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

returnednounUS /ˈreturned/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

said

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

Solution

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

solved

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

From this reading “What! you have solved it already?”

spirits

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

taking

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

tea

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

There

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

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading “There is no great mystery in this matter,” he said, taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading “The facts appear to admit of only one explanation.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In Quest of a Solution It was half-past five before Holmes returned.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What! you have solved it already?”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was bright, eager, and in excellent spirits,—a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “What! you have solved it already?”

Chapter Quiz

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Chapter 03: Chapter IV?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "Chapter IV...", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Narrator: Chapter IV
Narrator: knew it.