Chapter 1 of Bouncing Bet is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Bouncing Bet is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing. “Going! Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host. “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?” Mr. Meadowcroft inquired.
Chapter 1 of Bouncing Bet is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.”
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading “Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.”
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “Mr. Meadowcroft inquired.”
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading ““But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?””
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading ““P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.”
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading ““P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.”
happening unexpectedly
From this reading ““P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.”
the day immediately before today
From this reading ““But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?””
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.
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.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
the act of departing
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading Mr. Meadowcroft inquired.
and nothing more
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Meadowcroft inquired.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Meadowcroft inquired.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
happening unexpectedly
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
the day immediately before today
From this reading “But I was here yesterday, and----” “Do you mean you want to get off--you have something on hand?”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Why, you just came!” exclaimed his host.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “P’R’APS I ought to be going,” remarked Tommy suddenly, à propos of nothing.
Chapter 1 of Bouncing Bet by Joslyn Gray holds 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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.
Chapter 1 holds 147 sentences of Bouncing Bet, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Bouncing Bet by Joslyn Gray exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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.
Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 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.
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.
Common questions about reading Bouncing Bet by Joslyn Gray on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3581 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #70745 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #70745, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 298 minutes of reading across 717 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Bouncing Bet section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of Bouncing Bet to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Bouncing Bet, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
