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Over the Sliprails
Over the Sliprails

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Over the Sliprails is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Over the Sliprails
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Of course I am.
But the world won't do any good arguing over it.
The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.
Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.
Then it got smothered pretty quick.
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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.

Over the Sliprails

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Over the Sliprails is here in full — 204 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Of course I am.
/ʌv kɔːrs aɪ æm/
Line 2
But the world won't do any good arguing over it.
Line 3
The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.
Line 4
Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.
/ˈsoʊʃəlɪzəm ɔːr dɪˈmɑːkrəsi wɑːz ɔːl raɪt ɪn ðɪs ˈkʌntri tɪl ɪt ɡɑːt ˈfæʃənəbəl ənd wɑːz meɪd ə fæd ɔːr ə ˈprɑːbləm ʌv/
Line 5
Then it got smothered pretty quick.
/ðen ɪt ɡɑːt ˈsmʌðərd ˈprɪti kwɪk/

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.

arguing noun US /ˈɑːrɡjuːɪŋ/

a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement

From this reading “But the world won't do any good arguing over it.”

democracy noun US /dɪˈmɑːkrəsi/

the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives

From this reading “Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.”

fad noun US /fæd/

an interest followed with exaggerated zeal

From this reading “Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.”

fashionable adjective US /ˈfæʃənəbəl/

being or in accordance with current social fashions

From this reading “Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.”

problem noun US /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading “Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.”

smothered adjective US /ˈsmʌðərd/

held in check with difficulty

From this reading “Then it got smothered pretty quick.”

Socialism noun US /ˈsoʊʃəlɪzəm/

a political theory advocating state ownership of industry

From this reading “Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.”

stick verb US /stɪk/

put, fix, force, or implant

From this reading “The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.”

All words in this reading · 54

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 Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

ain't

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

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 Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “Of course I am.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

arguingnounUS /ˈɑːrɡjuːɪŋ/

a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading “Of course I am.

democracynounUS /dɪˈmɑːkrəsi/

the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

don't

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

fadnounUS /fæd/

an interest followed with exaggerated zeal

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

fashionableadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənəbəl/

being or in accordance with current social fashions

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

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

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “Of course I am.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

OfprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Of course I am.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Then it got smothered pretty quick.

problemnounUS /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

quickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading Then it got smothered pretty quick.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

smotheredadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərd/

held in check with difficulty

From this reading Then it got smothered pretty quick.

SocialismnounUS /ˈsoʊʃəlɪzəm/

a political theory advocating state ownership of industry

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

stickverbUS /stɪk/

put, fix, force, or implant

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then it got smothered pretty quick.

they'll

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad or a problem of.

what's

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

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading The people will have to get up and walk, and, what's more, stick together--and I don't think they'll ever do that--it ain't in human nature.

won't

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

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading But the world won't do any good arguing over it.

Chapter 12 of Over the Sliprails by Henry Lawson holds 204 sentences, grouped into 41 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 12 of Over the Sliprails contain?

Chapter 12 holds 204 sentences of Over the Sliprails, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Over the Sliprails by Henry Lawson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 204 sentences, grouped into 41 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 12 of Over the Sliprails?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 12 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Over the Sliprails

Common questions about reading Over the Sliprails by Henry Lawson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Over the Sliprails?

Yes. All 2582 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1313 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Over the Sliprails is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1313, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Over the Sliprails take to read?

About 215 minutes of reading across 517 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Over the Sliprails section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of Over the Sliprails 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 Over the Sliprails

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

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Over the Sliprails; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
While
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Over the Sliprails; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Billy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Over the Sliprails; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Boils
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Over the Sliprails; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.