Chapter 12 of Dorothy Dale in the City is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of Dorothy Dale in the City is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned. Dorothy grasped the door. The maid ruffled up her nice white apron! They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes. “Look, mother!
Chapter 12 of Dorothy Dale in the City is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 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 garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading “The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!”
shining intensely
From this reading “They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.”
boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
From this reading “They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.”
a person who does not talk
From this reading “HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.”
goods carried by a large vehicle
From this reading “HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.”
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading “Dorothy grasped the door.”
shaken into waves or undulations as by wind
From this reading “The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!”
thrown together in a disorderly fashion
From this reading “They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.”
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.
In this reading “The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!”
In this reading “They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.”
a room in a private house or establishment where people can sit and talk and relax
In this reading “They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.”
in reality or actuality
In this reading “They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.”
In this reading “HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.”
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 before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
(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 They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
weapons considered collectively
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
shining intensely
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a youthful male person
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a young person of either sex
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Dorothy grasped the door.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dorothy grasped the door.
a person who does not talk
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
opinion or judgment
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
goods carried by a large vehicle
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading Dorothy grasped the door.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
characteristic of humanity
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “Look, mother!
a female domestic
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “Look, mother!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
above and across; more than
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
shaken into waves or undulations as by wind
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
thrown together in a disorderly fashion
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY Tavia almost fell over Ned.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
a Caucasian
From this reading The maid ruffled up her nice white apron!
in the company of; together with
From this reading They all scrambled into the living room and there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks and defiant eyes.
Chapter 12 of Dorothy Dale in the City by Margaret Penrose holds 150 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 12 holds 150 sentences of Dorothy Dale in the City, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of Dorothy Dale in the City by Margaret Penrose exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 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 12 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 Dorothy Dale in the City by Margaret Penrose on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3383 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38555 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #38555, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 281 minutes of reading across 677 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Dorothy Dale in the City section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of Dorothy Dale in the City 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 Dorothy Dale in the City, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
