Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Bicycle of Cathay
A Bicycle of Cathay

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of A Bicycle of Cathay is here in full — 202 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Bicycle of Cathay
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.
It would not be right.
There would be something cruel about it."
"What do you mean?"
I exclaimed.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Bicycle of Cathay

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of A Bicycle of Cathay is here in full — 202 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.
Line 2
It would not be right.
/ɪt wʊd nɑːt biː raɪt/
Line 3
There would be something cruel about it."
/ðer wʊd biː ˈsʌmθɪŋ ˈkruːəl əˈbaʊt ɪt/
Line 4
"What do you mean?"
/wʌt duː juː miːn/
Line 5
I exclaimed.
/aɪ ɪkˈskleɪmd/

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.

begun verb US /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading “MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.”

bill noun US /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading “MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.”

Chester noun US /ˈtʃestər/

a city of southeastern Pennsylvania on the Delaware river (an industrial suburb of Philadelphia)

From this reading “MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.”

cruel adjective US /ˈkruːəl/

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading “There would be something cruel about it."”

disappointed adjective US /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd/

disappointingly unsuccessful

From this reading “MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.”

exclaimed verb US /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading “I exclaimed.”

ought modal verb US /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading “MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.”

walk noun US /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading “MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.”

All words in this reading · 43

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading There would be something cruel about it."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

apple-trees

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading It would not be right.

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

billnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

ChesternounUS /ˈtʃestər/

a city of southeastern Pennsylvania on the Delaware river (an industrial suburb of Philadelphia)

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading There would be something cruel about it."

DISAPPOINTEDadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd/

disappointingly unsuccessful

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "What do you mean?"

don't

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

EDITH

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading I exclaimed.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would not be right.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading "What do you mean?"

MISSverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It would not be right.

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading It would not be right.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading There would be something cruel about it."

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There would be something cruel about it."

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What do you mean?"

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It would not be right.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading MISS EDITH IS DISAPPOINTED As soon as we had begun to walk under the apple-trees she turned to me and said: "I don't think you ought to take this letter and the bill to Mrs. Chester.

Chapter 13 of A Bicycle of Cathay by Frank R. Stockton holds 202 sentences, grouped into 41 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 13 of A Bicycle of Cathay contain?

Chapter 13 holds 202 sentences of A Bicycle of Cathay, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of A Bicycle of Cathay by Frank R. Stockton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 202 sentences, grouped into 41 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 13 of A Bicycle of Cathay?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 A Bicycle of Cathay

Common questions about reading A Bicycle of Cathay by Frank R. Stockton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Bicycle of Cathay?

Yes. All 2857 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12334 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Bicycle of Cathay is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #12334, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Bicycle of Cathay take to read?

About 238 minutes of reading across 572 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Bicycle of Cathay section by section

How to work through A Bicycle of Cathay section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of A Bicycle of Cathay 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 A Bicycle of Cathay

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Bicycle of Cathay, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Middle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Bicycle of Cathay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Afternoon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Bicycle of Cathay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Found
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Bicycle of Cathay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Myself
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Bicycle of Cathay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.