Chapter 12 of Looking Backward: 2000-1887 is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of Looking Backward: 2000-1887 is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible. "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?" Edith asked. I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion. "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
Chapter 12 of Looking Backward: 2000-1887 is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 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.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading “I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.”
acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing
From this reading “"I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.”
marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence
From this reading “I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.”
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading “"Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"”
given to inquiry
From this reading “"I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.”
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading “I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.”
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading “When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.”
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading “"Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"”
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.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing
From this reading "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Edith asked.
marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Edith asked.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
given to inquiry
From this reading "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I ought to apologize for inquiring," she said.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I assured her that it was half of life, according to my notion.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
at the time that
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
but in spite of that
From this reading When we arrived home, Dr. Leete had not yet returned, and Mrs. Leete was not visible.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Are you fond of music, Mr. West?"
Chapter 12 of Looking Backward: 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy holds 127 sentences, grouped into 26 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 12 holds 127 sentences of Looking Backward: 2000-1887, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of Looking Backward: 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 127 sentences, grouped into 26 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 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 26 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 Looking Backward: 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3347 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25439 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25439, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 278 minutes of reading across 670 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Looking Backward: 2000-1887 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 29 chapters of Looking Backward: 2000-1887 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 Looking Backward: 2000-1887, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
