CHAPTER(a main division of a book [ˈʧæptər]) IV(Roman numeral for the number 4 [iv]). The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill(Title of the chapter, suggesting the rabbit is sending a small account or invoice [ðə ˈræbɪt sɛndz ɪn ə ˈlɪtəl bɪl])
It was(introducing the subject [ɪt wɑz]) the White Rabbit(a character in the story, a white rabbit [ðə waɪt ˈræbɪt]), trotting(moving at a pace faster than walking, but slower than running [ˈtrɑtɪŋ]) slowly(at a slow pace [sˈloʊli]) back again(returning to a previous location [bæk əˈgɛn]), and looking(visually searching [ənd ˈlʊkɪŋ]) anxiously(in a worried or uneasy manner [ˈæŋkʃəsli]) about(around; in the surrounding area [əˈbaʊt]) as it went(while moving [ɛz ɪt wɛnt]), as if(in a way that suggests [ɛz ɪf]) it had lost something(the rabbit is missing an item [ɪt hæd lɔst ˈsəmθɪŋ]); and she heard(Alice overheard [ənd ʃi hərd]) it muttering(speaking quietly and indistinctly [ɪt ˈmətərɪŋ]) to itself(speaking to oneself [tɪ ˌɪtˈsɛlf]) 'The Duchess! The Duchess(Exclamation referring to a noble woman [ðə ˈdəʧəs ðə ˈdəʧəs])! Oh my dear paws(Expressing distress about the rabbit's feet [oʊ maɪ dɪr pɔz])! Oh my fur and whiskers(Expressing distress about the rabbit's fur and facial hair [oʊ maɪ fər ənd ˈwɪskərz])! She'll get me executed(The Duchess will have the rabbit killed [ʃil gɪt mi ˈɛksəˌkjutɪd]), as sure as ferrets are ferrets(An idiom emphasizing certainty, comparing ferrets to themselves [ɛz ʃʊr ɛz ˈfɛrəts ər ˈfɛrəts])! Where CAN I have dropped them, I wonder(Expressing confusion about the location of the missing items [wɛr kən aɪ hæv drɑpt ðɛm aɪ ˈwəndər])?' Alice guessed(Alice made an assumption [ˈælɪs gɛst]) in a moment(quickly; immediately [ɪn ə ˈmoʊmənt]) that it was looking for(the rabbit was searching for [ðət ɪt wɑz ˈlʊkɪŋ fər]) the fan and the pair of white kid gloves(specific items the rabbit is missing [ðə fæn ənd ðə pɛr əv waɪt kɪd gləvz]), and she(Alice [ənd ʃi]) very good-naturedly(in a kind and helpful manner [ˈvɛri ˈgʊdˈneɪʧərdli]) began hunting(started searching [bɪˈgæn ˈhəntɪŋ]) about(around [əˈbaʊt]) for them(for the missing items [fər ðɛm]), but they were nowhere to be seen(the items could not be found [bət ðeɪ wər ˈnoʊˌwɛr tɪ bi sin])—everything seemed(it appeared that [ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ simd]) to have changed(to be different [tɪ hæv ʧeɪnʤd]) since her swim(after Alice's swim [sɪns hər swɪm]) in the pool(in the body of water [ɪn ðə pul]), and the great hall(a large room [ənd ðə greɪt hɔl]), with the glass table(containing a table made of glass [wɪθ ðə glæs ˈteɪbəl]) and the little door(containing a small door [ənd ðə ˈlɪtəl dɔr]), had vanished completely(had disappeared entirely [hæd ˈvænɪʃt kəmˈplitli]).
Very soon(in a short amount of time; happening quickly [ˈvɛri sun]) the Rabbit(referring to a specific rabbit, likely a character in a story [ðə ˈræbɪt]) noticed(became aware of; observed [ˈnoʊtɪst]) Alice(a proper noun, likely the name of a person [ˈælɪs]), as she went hunting about(while she was searching or looking around actively [ɛz ʃi wɛnt ˈhəntɪŋ əˈbaʊt]), and called out to her(and shouted or spoke loudly to her [ənd kɔld aʊt tɪ hər]) in an angry tone(with a voice that expressed anger or displeasure [ɪn ən ˈæŋgri toʊn]), 'Why(an exclamation expressing surprise or mild annoyance [waɪ]), Mary Ann(a proper noun, likely a name [ˈmɛri æn]), what ARE you doing(emphasizing the question of what someone is doing [wət ər ju duɪŋ]) out here(away from a specific place, in this location [aʊt hir])? Run home(go back to your house quickly [rən hoʊm]) this moment(immediately; right now [ðɪs ˈmoʊmənt]), and fetch me(and bring me [ənd fɛʧ mi]) a pair of gloves(two gloves that are designed to be worn together [ə pɛr əv gləvz]) and a fan(and a handheld device used to create a breeze [ənd ə fæn])! Quick, now(do it fast, immediately [kwɪk naʊ])!' And Alice(continuing the narrative about Alice [ənd ˈælɪs]) was so much frightened(was very scared [wɑz soʊ məʧ ˈfraɪtənd]) that she ran off(that she left quickly by running [ðət ʃi ræn ɔf]) at once(immediately; without delay [æt wəns]) in the direction(toward the place or way [ɪn ðə dɪˈrɛkʃɪn]) it pointed to(the direction that something indicated [ɪt ˈpɔɪntɪd tɪ]), without trying(without making an effort [wɪˈθaʊt traɪɪŋ]) to explain(to give a reason or clarification [tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn]) the mistake(an error or misunderstanding [ðə mɪˈsteɪk]) it had made(the error that someone or something had committed [ɪt hæd meɪd]).
'He took me(He mistook me [hi tʊk mi]) for his housemaid(as his servant who cleans the house [fər hɪz housemaid]),' she said(she spoke [ʃi sɛd]) to herself(privately, not aloud [tɪ hərˈsɛlf]) as she ran(while she was running [ɛz ʃi ræn]). 'How surprised(expressing how astonished someone will be [haʊ səˈpraɪzd]) he'll be(he will be [hil bi]) when he finds out(when he discovers [wɪn hi faɪndz aʊt]) who I am(my true identity [hu aɪ æm])! But I'd better(But I should [bət aɪd ˈbɛtər]) take him(bring to him [teɪk ɪm]) his fan and gloves(the fan and gloves that belong to him [hɪz fæn ənd gləvz])—that is(meaning, or rather [-ðət ɪz]), if I can find them(if I am able to locate them [ɪf aɪ kən faɪnd ðɛm]).' As she said this(While she was speaking [ɛz ʃi sɛd ðɪs]), she came upon(she found or encountered [ʃi keɪm əˈpɑn]) a neat little house(a tidy and small house [ə nit ˈlɪtəl haʊs]), on the door(on the entrance [ɔn ðə dɔr]) of which(referring to the door [əv wɪʧ]) was(existed [wɑz]) a bright brass plate(a shiny plate made of brass [ə braɪt bræs pleɪt]) with the name(displaying the name [wɪθ ðə neɪm]) 'W. RABBIT(the name of the rabbit [ˈdəbəlju ˈræbɪt])' engraved(carved or etched [ɪnˈgreɪvd]) upon it(on the plate [əˈpɑn ɪt]). She went in(She entered [ʃi wɛnt ɪn]) without knocking(without striking the door to announce her presence [wɪˈθaʊt ˈnɑkɪŋ]), and hurried upstairs(and quickly went up the stairs [ənd ˈhərid əpˈstɛrz]), in great fear(feeling very scared [ɪn greɪt fɪr]) lest she should meet(for fear that she might encounter [lɛst ʃi ʃʊd mit]) the real Mary Ann(the actual Mary Ann [ðə ril ˈmɛri æn]), and be turned out(and be forced to leave [ənd bi tərnd aʊt]) of the house(from the house [əv ðə haʊs]) before she had found(before she located [ˌbiˈfɔr ʃi hæd faʊnd]) the fan and gloves(the fan and gloves [ðə fæn ənd gləvz]).
'How queer it seems(An exclamation expressing surprise or bewilderment at how strange or odd something appears [haʊ kwɪr ɪt simz]),' Alice said to herself(Alice spoke her thoughts aloud, but only to herself [ˈælɪs sɛd tɪ hərˈsɛlf]), 'to be going messages for a rabbit(to be running errands or delivering messages on behalf of a rabbit, which is an unusual and absurd situation [tɪ bi goʊɪŋ ˈmɛsɪʤɪz fər ə ˈræbɪt])! I suppose(I assume or expect [aɪ səˈpoʊz]) Dinah'll(contraction of 'Dinah will', where Dinah is likely a pet or character in the story [dinahll]) be sending me on messages next(will be giving me errands or tasks to do next, implying a continuation of the absurd situation [bi ˈsɛndɪŋ mi ɔn ˈmɛsɪʤɪz nɛkst])!' And she began fancying(And she started imagining or picturing in her mind [ənd ʃi bɪˈgæn fancying]) the sort of thing(the type of event or situation [ðə sɔrt əv θɪŋ]) that would happen(that might occur or take place [ðət wʊd ˈhæpən]): '"Miss Alice(Addressing Alice formally [mɪs ˈælɪs])! Come here directly(Come here immediately or without delay [kəm hir dɪˈrɛkli]), and get ready for your walk(prepare yourself for your walk [ənd gɪt ˈrɛdi fər jʊr wɔk])!" "Coming in a minute, nurse(I'll be there shortly, nurse! [ˈkəmɪŋ ɪn ə ˈmɪnət nərs])! But I've got to see(But I need to make sure [bət aɪv gɑt tɪ si]) that the mouse doesn't get out(that the mouse does not escape [ðət ðə maʊs ˈdəzənt gɪt aʊt])." Only I don't think(However, I don't believe [ˈoʊnli aɪ doʊnt θɪŋk]),' Alice went on(Alice continued speaking [ˈælɪs wɛnt ɔn]), 'that they'd(that they would [ðət ðeɪd]) let Dinah stop in the house(allow Dinah to remain in the house [lɛt ˈdaɪnə stɑp ɪn ðə haʊs]) if it began ordering people about(if Dinah started bossing people around or giving them commands [ɪf ɪt bɪˈgæn ˈɔrdərɪŋ ˈpipəl əˈbaʊt]) like that(in that manner or way [laɪk ðət])!'