Chapter 11 of Bunker Bean is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of Bunker Bean is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game. Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him. He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs. They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend. If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
Chapter 11 of Bunker Bean is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
From this reading “They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.”
bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure
From this reading “He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.”
plural of “cuff” — the lap consisting of a turned-back hem encircling the end of the sleeve or leg
From this reading “He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.”
firmly closed or secured
From this reading “He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.”
be imminent or about to happen
From this reading “They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.”
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading “If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.”
a safe place
From this reading “They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.”
past form of “toy” — behave carelessly or indifferently
From this reading “Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.”
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.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
plural of “cuff” — the lap consisting of a turned-back hem encircling the end of the sleeve or leg
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
a long fixed look
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
be imminent or about to happen
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He fastened his gaze on the criminal cuffs.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
and nothing more
From this reading Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.
by chance
From this reading Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
a safe place
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
past form of “toy” — behave carelessly or indifferently
From this reading Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.
a vivid mental image
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading One might have thought that Breede himself played the waiting game.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were his rock of refuge in any cataclysm that might impend.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Or perhaps Breede only toyed with him.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If only he could keep those cuffs within his range of vision he would fear nothing.
Chapter 11 of Bunker Bean by Harry Leon Wilson holds 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 11 holds 413 sentences of Bunker Bean, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of Bunker Bean by Harry Leon Wilson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 11 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 Bunker Bean by Harry Leon Wilson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5390 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15743 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #15743, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 449 minutes of reading across 1078 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Bunker Bean section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of Bunker Bean 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 Bunker Bean, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
