Chapter 10 of 'Possum is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
Chapter 10 of 'Possum is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said. "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek. I say, though, what about bait?" "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely. "Oh, did you?
Chapter 10 of 'Possum is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
harass with persistent criticism or carping
From this reading “I say, though, what about bait?"”
causing one to believe the truth of something
From this reading “"I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.”
in a demure manner
From this reading “"’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.”
humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness
From this reading “"Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.”
plural of “pie” — dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top
From this reading “"Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.”
nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America
From this reading “"’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.”
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading “"I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.”
the day immediately before today
From this reading “"’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.”
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.
In this reading “"I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.”
run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
In this reading “"Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I say, though, what about bait?"
(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 "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
harass with persistent criticism or carping
From this reading I say, though, what about bait?"
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
causing one to believe the truth of something
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
in a demure manner
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Oh, did you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
take in solid food
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, did you?
plural of “pie” — dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
express in words
From this reading I say, though, what about bait?"
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
a male human offspring
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
express a supposition
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading I say, though, what about bait?"
male cat
From this reading "I never heard a more convincing set of reasons," Tom said.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I say, though, what about bait?"
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
the day immediately before today
From this reading "’Possum and I caught a lovely lot of shrimps yesterday," said his son demurely.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, if I don’t come I suppose you and mother will go off by your wild lones, and eat all the pies, so I suppose I’d better be meek.
Chapter 10 of 'Possum by Mary Grant Bruce holds 422 sentences, grouped into 85 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 10 holds 422 sentences of 'Possum, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 10 of 'Possum by Mary Grant Bruce exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 422 sentences, grouped into 85 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 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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 10 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 'Possum by Mary Grant Bruce on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5297 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #50881 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #50881, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 441 minutes of reading across 1060 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through 'Possum section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of 'Possum 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 'Possum, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
