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Mrs. Peter Rabbit
Mrs. Peter Rabbit

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Mrs. Peter Rabbit is here in full — 36 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mrs. Peter Rabbit
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.
Peter Rabbit.
That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.
Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.
In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.
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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.

Mrs. Peter Rabbit

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Mrs. Peter Rabbit is here in full — 36 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.
Line 2
Peter Rabbit.
/ˈpiːtər ˈræbət/
Line 3
That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.
Line 4
Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.
Line 5
In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

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.

crow verb US /kroʊ/

dwell on with satisfaction

From this reading “BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.”

greet verb US /ɡriːt/

express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading “BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.”

idle adjective US /ˈaɪdəl/

not in action or at work

From this reading “BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.”

mischief noun US /ˈmɪstʃəf/

reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

From this reading “BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.”

peculiar adjective US /pəˈkjuːljər/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading “In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.”

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.”

sharp adjective US /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading “BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.”

waits noun US /weɪts/

plural of “wait” — time during which some action is awaited

From this reading “BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.”

All words in this reading · 64

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 That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

BLACKY

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

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

CROWverbUS /kroʊ/

dwell on with satisfaction

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

expectverbUS /ɪkˈspekt/

regard something as probable or likely

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

EYESnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

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

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

greetverbUS /ɡriːt/

express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

HASauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

IdleadjectiveUS /ˈaɪdəl/

not in action or at work

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

isn't

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

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 Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

lotnounUS /lɑːt/

(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

MischiefnounUS /ˈmɪstʃəf/

reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

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.

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.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

SHARPadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

waitsnounUS /weɪts/

plural of “wait” — time during which some action is awaited

From this reading BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Of course it is true that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people really knew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, but people are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know you most always see what you expect to see.

Chapter 31 of Mrs. Peter Rabbit by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 36 sentences, grouped into 8 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 31 of Mrs. Peter Rabbit contain?

Chapter 31 holds 36 sentences of Mrs. Peter Rabbit, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Mrs. Peter Rabbit by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 36 sentences, grouped into 8 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 31 of Mrs. Peter Rabbit?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Mrs. Peter Rabbit

Common questions about reading Mrs. Peter Rabbit by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mrs. Peter Rabbit?

Yes. All 1264 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5791 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mrs. Peter Rabbit is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5791, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mrs. Peter Rabbit take to read?

About 105 minutes of reading across 253 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mrs. Peter Rabbit section by section

How to work through Mrs. Peter Rabbit section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of Mrs. Peter Rabbit 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 Mrs. Peter Rabbit

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mrs. Peter Rabbit, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Appetite
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Peter Rabbit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
You'll
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Peter Rabbit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Always
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Peter Rabbit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Depends
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mrs. Peter Rabbit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.