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Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other
Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other is here in full — 24 sentences across 5 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other
Context Illustration Reading 1/4 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.
LONGFELLOW.
The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.
She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.
It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.
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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.

Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other is here in full — 24 sentences across 5 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/4 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.
/ənd hiː ˈwɑːndərd əˈweɪ ənd əˈweɪ wɪð ˈneɪtʃər ðə dɪr oʊld nɜːrs/
Line 2
LONGFELLOW.
/ˈlɔːŋfeloʊ/
Line 3
The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.
Line 4
She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.
Line 5
It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

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.

addled adjective US /ˈædəld/

(of eggs) no longer edible

From this reading “She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.”

chick noun US /tʃɪk/

young bird especially of domestic fowl

From this reading “She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.”

cramp noun US /kræmp/

a painful and involuntary muscular contraction

From this reading “She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.”

downy adjective US /ˈdaʊni/

like down or as soft as down

From this reading “It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.”

hatch verb US /hætʃ/

emerge from the eggs

From this reading “She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.”

longfellow noun US /ˈlɔːŋfeloʊ/

United States poet remembered for his long narrative poems (1807-1882)

From this reading “LONGFELLOW.”

speckled adjective US /ˈspekəld/

having a pattern of dots

From this reading “The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.”

ungainly adjective US /ənˈɡeɪnli/

lacking grace in movement or posture

From this reading “It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.”

All words in this reading · 105

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 a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

addledadjectiveUS /ˈædəld/

(of eggs) no longer edible

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

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 The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

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

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

chicknounUS /tʃɪk/

young bird especially of domestic fowl

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

crampnounUS /kræmp/

a painful and involuntary muscular contraction

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

downyadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊni/

like down or as soft as down

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

eggnounUS /eɡ/

animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum or embryo together with nutritive and protective envelopes; especially the thin-shelled reproductive body laid by e.g. female birds

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

eggsnounUS /eɡz/

oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

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

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

GoosenounUS /ɡuːs/

web-footed long-necked typically gregarious migratory aquatic birds usually larger and less aquatic than ducks

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

GreyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

hatchverbUS /hætʃ/

emerge from the eggs

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

hennounUS /hen/

adult female chicken

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

high-steppingadjective

having or moving with a high step

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

instancenounUS /ˈɪnstəns/

an occurrence of something

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

Jackanapesnoun

someone who is unimportant but cheeky and presumptuous

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

LONGFELLOWnounUS /ˈlɔːŋfeloʊ/

United States poet remembered for his long narrative poems (1807-1882)

From this reading LONGFELLOW.

monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/

abnormally large

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

motherlyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌðərli/

befitting a mother; warm and nurturing

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

nestnounUS /nest/

a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

nosenounUS /noʊz/

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

NurseverbUS /nɜːrs/

try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

patiencenounUS /ˈpeɪʃəns/

good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

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 She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

rearedverbUS /rɪrd/

past form of “rear” — stand up on the hind legs, of quadrupeds

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

rememberedverbUS /rɪˈmembərd/

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

seasonnounUS /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

speckledadjectiveUS /ˈspekəld/

having a pattern of dots

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

ungainlyadjectiveUS /ənˈɡeɪnli/

lacking grace in movement or posture

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/

to a remarkable degree or extent

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

wanderedverbUS /ˈwɑːndərd/

past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

welladverbUS /wel/

(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 The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

well-bredadjective

of good upbringing

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading She had been rather proud of the eggs--they are unusually large--but she never felt quite comfortable on them; and whether it was because she used to get cramp, and got off the nest, or because the season was bad, or what, she never could tell, but every egg was addled but one, and the one that did hatch gave her more trouble than any chick she had ever reared.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading And he wandered away and away With Nature, the dear old Nurse.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading The Grey Goose remembered quite well the year that Jackanapes began to walk, for it was the year that the speckled hen for the first time in all her motherly life got out of patience when she was sitting.

yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading It was a fine, downy, bright yellow little thing, but it had a monstrous big nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk as she knew no other instance of in her well-bred and high-stepping family.

Chapter 2 of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other by Juliana Horatia Ewing holds 24 sentences, grouped into 5 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 2 of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other contain?

Chapter 2 holds 24 sentences of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other, unabridged, divided into 5 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other by Juliana Horatia Ewing exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 24 sentences, grouped into 5 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 2 of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other?

Work through the 5 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 5 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other

Common questions about reading Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other by Juliana Horatia Ewing on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other?

Yes. All 1650 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7865 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #7865, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other take to read?

About 137 minutes of reading across 330 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other section by section

How to work through Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    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 Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other

Words and structures a reader meets early in Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Beheld
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lusty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Beauty's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Circle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jackanapes, Daddy Darwin's Dovecot and Other; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.