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Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat
Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat
Context Illustration Reading 1/88 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.
Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.
I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"
I looked at her, amazed.
"You naughty cat!
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/88 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.
/ɪt wɑːz sʌm taɪm bɪˈfɔːr aɪ kʊd ɡet ˈstɑːrtɪd fɔːr aɪ wɑːz ɔːl ʌv ə ˈkwɪvər ˈstɑːrtɪŋ æt ˈevəri saʊnd ənd ɪn maɪ ˈhɜːri ˈtrɪpɪŋ ˈoʊvər ɪt ˈɡetɪŋ soʊ mæd ðæt aɪ sed hɪs hɪs dʒʌst wer æn oʊld bɔɪ ʌv ðə ˈhjuːmən kaɪnd wʊd hæv sed ˈsʌmθɪŋ mɔːr tuː ðə pɔɪnt/
Line 2
Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.
Line 3
I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"
Line 4
I looked at her, amazed.
/aɪ lʊkt æt hɜːr əˈmeɪzd/
Line 5
"You naughty cat!
/juː ˈnɔːti kæt/

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.

amazed adjective US /əˈmeɪzd/

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading “I looked at her, amazed.”

anticipated adjective US /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading “I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"”

Daisy noun US /ˈdeɪzi/

any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl

From this reading “I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"”

flights noun US /flaɪts/

plural of “flight” — a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading “Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.”

hiss verb US /hɪs/

make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval

From this reading “It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.”

naughty adjective US /ˈnɔːti/

suggestive of sexual impropriety

From this reading “"You naughty cat!”

quiver verb US /ˈkwɪvər/

shake with fast, tremulous movements

From this reading “It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.”

tripping adjective US /ˈtrɪpɪŋ/

characterized by a buoyant rhythm

From this reading “It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

greatest difficulty adjective + noun

In this reading “Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.”

looked at verb + particle counted as “look at”

take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

In this reading “I looked at her, amazed.”

some time adjective + noun

In this reading “It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.”

old boy adjective + noun

a familiar term of address for a man

In this reading “It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

amazedadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzd/

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading I looked at her, amazed.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

breathingnounUS /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

catnounUS /kæt/

feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading "You naughty cat!

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

DaisynounUS /ˈdeɪzi/

any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

difficultynounUS /ˈdɪfəkəlti/

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

flightsnounUS /flaɪts/

plural of “flight” — a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading I looked at her, amazed.

HissverbUS /hɪs/

make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

hurrynounUS /ˈhɜːri/

a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

landingnounUS /ˈlændɪŋ/

an intermediate platform in a staircase

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading I looked at her, amazed.

madadjectiveUS /mæd/

roused to anger

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

mistress's

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

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

mountverbUS /maʊnt/

attach to a support

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

naughtyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːti/

suggestive of sexual impropriety

From this reading "You naughty cat!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/

something offered (as a proposal or bid)

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

OhnounUS /oʊ/

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

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

proudadjectiveUS /praʊd/

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

quiververbUS /ˈkwɪvər/

shake with fast, tremulous movements

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

screamedverbUS /skriːmd/

past form of “scream” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

startingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtɪŋ/

(especially of eyes) bulging or protruding as with fear

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Then came the greatest difficulty,--three flights of stairs to mount.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

trippingadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪpɪŋ/

characterized by a buoyant rhythm

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading It was some time before I could get started, for I was all of a quiver, starting at every sound, and in my hurry, tripping over it, getting so mad that I said, "Hiss! hiss!" just where an old boy of the human kind would have said something more to the point.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I had to rest at every landing, and when at last, breathing hard, but proud and happy, I laid my offering at my mistress's feet, instead of the delight I anticipated she screamed out, "Oh, Daisy, what have you done?"

Chapter 4 of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat by Miranda Eliot Swan holds 440 sentences, grouped into 88 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 4 of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat contain?

Chapter 4 holds 440 sentences of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat by Miranda Eliot Swan exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 440 sentences, grouped into 88 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 4 of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat?

Work through the 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 88 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat

Common questions about reading Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat by Miranda Eliot Swan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat?

Yes. All 3971 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37826 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37826, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat take to read?

About 330 minutes of reading across 795 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat section by section

How to work through Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat 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 Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat

Words and structures a reader meets early in Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Norwood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Press
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cushing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Berwick
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Daisy: The Autobiography of a Cat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.