Chapter 12 of 'Possum is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of 'Possum is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"You’re sure Garth is well?" "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly. "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine. But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all. Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?
Chapter 12 of 'Possum is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading “"If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.”
give a benediction to
From this reading “Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?”
a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading “"If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.”
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading “"Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.”
more than is needed, desired, or required
From this reading “Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?”
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading “"If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.”
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading “"If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.”
informal term of address for someone's wife
From this reading “"Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.”
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 “"If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.”
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 "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
(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 But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
give a benediction to
From this reading Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?
a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
a youthful male person
From this reading Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
divisible by two
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
more than is needed, desired, or required
From this reading Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You’re sure Garth is well?"
a young female
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "You’re sure Garth is well?"
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
and nothing more
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
informal term of address for someone's wife
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading "You’re sure Garth is well?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Now, look here, Missus," said the girl decidedly.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
(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 "You’re sure Garth is well?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bless you, what’s an extra duckin’ to a boy?
in the company of; together with
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "If I wasn’t sure, you might just jolly well know I wouldn’t have him up, even to let you see him—he’d be in bed with a hot bottle, an’ a jolly good go of med’cine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But you’d never think he’d had a duckin’ at all.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You’re sure Garth is well?"
Chapter 12 of 'Possum by Mary Grant Bruce holds 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 399 sentences of 'Possum, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of 'Possum by Mary Grant Bruce exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 '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.
