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Little Joe Otter
Little Joe Otter

Chapter IV · Little Joe Otter’s Home

Chapter IV of Little Joe Otter, “Little Joe Otter’s Home,” is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Little Joe Otter
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.
_Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.
Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.
You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.
Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.
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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.

Little Joe Otter

Chapter IV · Little Joe Otter’s Home

Chapter IV of Little Joe Otter, “Little Joe Otter’s Home,” is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.
Line 2
_Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.
Line 3
Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.
/ˈmeni ˈʌðər ˈlɪtəl ˈfɔːrəst ˈpiːpəl hæd wɔːkt ˈoʊvər ðæt hoʊm wɪˈθaʊt ˈɡesɪŋ ɪt/
Line 4
You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.
Line 5
Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

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.

believes verb US /bɪˈliːvz/

third-person singular of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading “Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.”

forest noun US /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading “Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.”

guessing noun US /ˈɡesɪŋ/

an estimate based on little or no information

From this reading “Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.”

Otter noun US /ˈɑːtər/

the fur of an otter

From this reading “_Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.”

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 “_Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.”

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 “_Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.”

roam verb US /roʊm/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading “No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.”

smart adjective US /smɑːrt/

showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness

From this reading “You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

live there verb + particle

In this reading “Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.”

All words in this reading · 58

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 No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

believesverbUS /bɪˈliːvz/

third-person singular of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

didn't

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

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

else

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

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

forestnounUS /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

guessingnounUS /ˈɡesɪŋ/

an estimate based on little or no information

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

how

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

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

Joe

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

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

ManyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

OtternounUS /ˈɑːtər/

the fur of an otter

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

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 _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

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 _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

roamverbUS /roʊm/

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/

showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness

From this reading You see, Little Joe is just as smart in making a home as he is in everything else.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading _Little Joe Otter._ Now though Peter Rabbit didn’t know it, he had walked right straight over the home of Little Joe Otter.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Little Joe believes that a home is just for those who live there, and therefore that it is a secret which no one else should know.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Many other little forest people had walked over that home without guessing it.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading No matter how you love to roam There comes a time you want a home.

Chapter 4 of Little Joe Otter by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 42 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 4 of Little Joe Otter contain?

Chapter 4 holds 42 sentences of Little Joe Otter, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Little Joe Otter by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 42 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 4 of Little Joe Otter?

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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Little Joe Otter

Common questions about reading Little Joe Otter by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Little Joe Otter?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Little Joe Otter is used?

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

How long does Little Joe Otter take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Little Joe Otter section by section

How to work through Little Joe Otter section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Little Joe Otter 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 Little Joe Otter

Words and structures a reader meets early in Little Joe Otter, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Little Joe Otter, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Little Joe Otter, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Little Joe Otter, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.