Chapter 12 of Hard Times is here in full — 427 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of Hard Times is here in full — 427 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear? What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_? Come in, and speak up.’ It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden. A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
Chapter 12 of Hard Times is here in full — 427 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
inflected form of “bid” — propose a payment
From this reading “It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.”
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading “What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?”
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading “What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?”
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading “A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.”
United States poet (1869-1950)
From this reading “MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?”
plural of “pest” — a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
From this reading “What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?”
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading “MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?”
abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes
From this reading “MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?”
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 A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
the past participle of “be”
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
inflected form of “bid” — propose a payment
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Come in, and speak up.’
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
a man of refinement
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
United States poet (1869-1950)
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
the force of workers available
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
a form of address for a man
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
plural of “pest” — a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
express in speech
From this reading Come in, and speak up.’
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Come in, and speak up.’
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was into the drawing-room that he was thus bidden.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes
From this reading MEN AND MASTERS ‘WELL, Stephen,’ said Bounderby, in his windy manner, ‘what’s this I hear?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading What have these pests of the earth been doing to _you_?
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A tea-table was set out; and Mr. Bounderby’s young wife, and her brother, and a great gentleman from London, were present.
Chapter 12 of Hard Times by Charles Dickens holds 427 sentences, grouped into 86 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.
Chapter 12 holds 427 sentences of Hard Times, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of Hard Times by Charles Dickens exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 427 sentences, grouped into 86 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 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 Hard Times by Charles Dickens on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5737 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #786 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #786, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 478 minutes of reading across 1148 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Hard Times section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Hard Times 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 Hard Times, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
