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Lightfoot the Deer
Lightfoot the Deer

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Lightfoot the Deer is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Lightfoot the Deer
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It is hard to believe what seems impossible.
And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.
So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.
Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.
If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.
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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.

Lightfoot the Deer

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Lightfoot the Deer is here in full — 43 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It is hard to believe what seems impossible.
/ɪt ɪz hɑːrd tuː bɪˈliːv wʌt siːmz ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/
Line 2
And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.
Line 3
So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.
Line 4
Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.
Line 5
If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.
/ɪf hiː hæd siːn ðoʊz ˈæntlərz ˈɡroʊɪŋ ɪt wʊd hæv bɪn əˈnʌðər ˈmætər/

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.

antlers noun US /ˈæntlərz/

plural of “antler” — deciduous horn of a member of the deer family

From this reading “If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.”

commonplace adjective US /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading “And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.”

Deer noun US /dɪr/

distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers

From this reading “Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.”

growing noun US /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading “If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.”

impossible adjective US /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading “It is hard to believe what seems impossible.”

Peter noun US /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading “Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.”

Rabbit noun US /ˈræbət/

any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food

From this reading “Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.”

somehow adverb US /ˈsʌmhaʊ/

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading “Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

antlersnounUS /ˈæntlərz/

plural of “antler” — deciduous horn of a member of the deer family

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

cannot

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

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

couldn't

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

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

DeernounUS /dɪr/

distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

else

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

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

growingnounUS /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

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

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

how

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

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

Lightfoot

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

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

RabbitnounUS /ˈræbət/

any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

somehowadverbUS /ˈsʌmhaʊ/

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading So it does not do to say that a thing cannot be possible just because you cannot understand how it can be.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading Peter Rabbit wanted to believe what Lightfoot the Deer had just told him, but somehow he couldn't.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading It is hard to believe what seems impossible.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading If he had seen those antlers growing, it would have been another matter.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And yet what seems impossible to you may be a very commonplace matter to some one else.

Chapter 2 of Lightfoot the Deer by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 43 sentences, grouped into 9 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 Lightfoot the Deer contain?

Chapter 2 holds 43 sentences of Lightfoot the Deer, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Lightfoot the Deer by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 43 sentences, grouped into 9 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 Lightfoot the Deer?

Work through the 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 9 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 Lightfoot the Deer

Common questions about reading Lightfoot the Deer by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Lightfoot the Deer?

Yes. All 1304 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4670 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Lightfoot the Deer is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4670, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Lightfoot the Deer take to read?

About 108 minutes of reading across 261 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Lightfoot the Deer section by section

How to work through Lightfoot the Deer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Lightfoot the Deer 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 Lightfoot the Deer

Words and structures a reader meets early in Lightfoot the Deer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Peter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rabbit
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Puzzled
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stared
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lightfoot the Deer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.