Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Buttered Side Down: Stories
Buttered Side Down: Stories

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Buttered Side Down: Stories is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Buttered Side Down: Stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.
I'll ask the janitor."
She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.
At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.
"Oh, Charlie!" called Mary Louise.
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.

Buttered Side Down: Stories

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Buttered Side Down: Stories is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
"If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.
Line 2
I'll ask the janitor."
Line 3
She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.
Line 4
At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.
Line 5
"Oh, Charlie!" called Mary Louise.

All words in this reading · 69

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.

a

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

abandon

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

again

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

and

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

announced

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

as

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

ask

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

From this reading I'll ask the janitor."

At

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

back

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

bitterly

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

bound

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

breeze

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

called

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

From this reading "Oh, Charlie!" called Mary Louise.

Charlie

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

city

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

could

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

deal

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

dim

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

doing

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

door

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

end

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

far

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

floor

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

grass

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

great

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

had

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

hair

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

hallway

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

her

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

his

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

I

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

I'll

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

From this reading I'll ask the janitor."

If

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

in

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

is

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

janitor

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

From this reading I'll ask the janitor."

long

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

Louise

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

Mary

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

Maybe

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

mop

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

of

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

Oh

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

From this reading "Oh, Charlie!" called Mary Louise.

on

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

only

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

opened

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

presence

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

She

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

shrill

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

sloppy

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

something

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

squat

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

such

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

sunshine

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

that

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

the

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

there

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

thing

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

this

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

thought

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

to

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

turban

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

From this reading She bound her hair in the turban again, and opened the door.

was

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

water

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

where

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

while

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

whistling

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

with

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

From this reading At the far end of the long, dim hallway Charlie, the janitor, was doing something to the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water, whistling the while with a shrill abandon that had announced his presence to Mary Louise.

yard

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

From this reading "If only," thought Mary Louise, bitterly, "there was such a thing as a back yard in this city--a back yard where I could squat on the grass, in the sunshine and the breeze---- Maybe there is.

Chapter 14 of Buttered Side Down: Stories by Edna Ferber holds 200 sentences, grouped into 40 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 14 of Buttered Side Down: Stories contain?

Chapter 14 holds 200 sentences of Buttered Side Down: Stories, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Buttered Side Down: Stories by Edna Ferber exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 200 sentences, grouped into 40 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 14 of Buttered Side Down: Stories?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Buttered Side Down: Stories

Common questions about reading Buttered Side Down: Stories by Edna Ferber on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Buttered Side Down: Stories?

Yes. All 3117 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #352 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Buttered Side Down: Stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #352, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Buttered Side Down: Stories take to read?

About 259 minutes of reading across 624 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Buttered Side Down: Stories section by section

How to work through Buttered Side Down: Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 15 chapters of Buttered Side Down: 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 Buttered Side Down: Stories

Words and structures a reader meets early in Buttered Side Down: Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buttered Side Down: Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Writers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buttered Side Down: Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lived
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buttered Side Down: Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Happily
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buttered Side Down: Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.