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A Breath of Prairie and other stories
A Breath of Prairie and other stories

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories is here in full — 17 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Breath of Prairie and other stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/3 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?
When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?
Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.
Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!
If we only had time!
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 Breath of Prairie and other stories

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories is here in full — 17 sentences across 4 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/3 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?
/wen ɪz ˈbeɪkən ˈbeɪkən ənd eɡz eɡz/
Line 2
When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?
/wen ɪz ˈkɑːfi ˈkɑːfi ənd ðə dɪˈspaɪzd ˈpɪkərəl freʃ frʌm ðə koʊld ˈwɔːtər ʌv ðə ˈʃeɪdɪd leɪk ə ˈɡlɔːriəs braʊn fuːd fɪt fɔːr ðə ɡɑːdz/
Line 3
Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.
Line 4
Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!
/oʊ ɪf wiː ˈoʊnli hæd taɪm tuː iːt æz ðæt ˈbrekfəst dɪˈzɜːrvz tuː biː ˈiːtən/
Line 5
If we only had time!
/ɪf wiː ˈoʊnli hæd taɪm/

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.

bacon noun US /ˈbeɪkən/

back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried

From this reading “When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?”

deserves verb US /dɪˈzɜːrvz/

third-person singular of “deserve” — be worthy or deserving

From this reading “Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!”

despised adjective US /dɪˈspaɪzd/

treated with dislike or contempt

From this reading “When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?”

forty-five noun US /ˈfɔːrtifaɪv/

a .45-caliber pistol

From this reading “Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.”

Molly noun US /ˈmɑːli/

popular aquarium fish

From this reading “Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.”

pickerel noun US /ˈpɪkərəl/

flesh of young or small pike

From this reading “When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?”

serves noun US /sɜːrvz/

plural of “serve” — (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play

From this reading “Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.”

shaded adjective US /ˈʃeɪdɪd/

protected from heat and light with shade or shadow

From this reading “When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?”

All words in this reading · 51

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 When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?

AnswerverbUS /ˈænsər/

react verbally

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

AuntnounUS /ænt/

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

baconnounUS /ˈbeɪkən/

back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried

From this reading When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

brownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

coffeenounUS /ˈkɑːfi/

a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

deservesverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrvz/

third-person singular of “deserve” — be worthy or deserving

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

despisedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspaɪzd/

treated with dislike or contempt

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

eatverbUS /iːt/

take in solid food

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

eatenverbUS /ˈiːtən/

inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

eggsnounUS /eɡz/

oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food

From this reading When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?

fitverbUS /fɪt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

forty-fivenounUS /ˈfɔːrtifaɪv/

a .45-caliber pistol

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

godsnounUS /ɡɑːdz/

plural of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?

lakenounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

Martha

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

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

MollynounUS /ˈmɑːli/

popular aquarium fish

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

pickerelnounUS /ˈpɪkərəl/

flesh of young or small pike

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

servesnounUS /sɜːrvz/

plural of “serve” — (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

shadedadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdɪd/

protected from heat and light with shade or shadow

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading When is coffee coffee, and the despised pickerel, fresh from the cold water of the shaded lake, a glorious brown food, fit for the gods?

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Oh, if we only had time to eat, as that breakfast deserves to be eaten!

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When is bacon bacon, and eggs eggs?

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Answer, while Molly (whose real name is Aunt Martha) serves them to us, forty-five minutes later.

Chapter 15 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Will Lillibridge holds 17 sentences, grouped into 4 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 15 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories contain?

Chapter 15 holds 17 sentences of A Breath of Prairie and other stories, unabridged, divided into 4 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Will Lillibridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 17 sentences, grouped into 4 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 15 of A Breath of Prairie and other stories?

Work through the 4 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 4 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Breath of Prairie and other stories

Common questions about reading A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Will Lillibridge on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Breath of Prairie and other stories?

Yes. All 4741 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29245 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Breath of Prairie and other stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29245, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Breath of Prairie and other stories take to read?

About 395 minutes of reading across 949 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Breath of Prairie and other stories section by section

How to work through A Breath of Prairie and other stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of A Breath of Prairie and other stories 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 Breath of Prairie and other stories

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Breath of Prairie and other stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Dominant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dollar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Illustrated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Color
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Breath of Prairie and other stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.