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Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel
Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel is here in full — 176 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.
Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.
I’ll soon tell you who the man was.
“I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.
Slicko was almost at the man’s leg.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel is here in full — 176 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.
Line 2
Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.
Line 3
I’ll soon tell you who the man was.
Line 4
“I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.
Line 5
Slicko was almost at the man’s leg.

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.

Bob's noun US /bɑːbz/

possessive form of “bob” — a former monetary unit in Great Britain

finds noun US /faɪndz/

plural of “find” — a productive insight

From this reading “SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.”

games noun US /ɡeɪmz/

plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading ““I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.”

nest noun US /nest/

a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading “SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.”

Scampering verb US /ˈskæmpərɪŋ/

-ing form of “scamper” — to move about or proceed hurriedly

From this reading “SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.”

squirrel noun US /ˈskwɜːrəl/

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading ““I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.”

sugar noun US /ˈʃʊɡər/

a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative

From this reading ““I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.”

tricks noun US /trɪks/

plural of “trick” — a cunning or deceitful action or device

From this reading ““I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

kitchen floor noun + noun

In this reading “SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.”

came close verb + adjective counted as “come close”

nearly do something

In this reading “SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Slicko was almost at the man’s leg.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

BobverbUS /bɑːb/

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

Bob'snounUS /bɑːbz/

possessive form of “bob” — a former monetary unit in Great Britain

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

FINDSnounUS /faɪndz/

plural of “find” — a productive insight

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

gamesnounUS /ɡeɪmz/

plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

HERdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

hideverbUS /haɪd/

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

I'll

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

From this reading I’ll soon tell you who the man was.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

kitchennounUS /ˈkɪtʃən/

a room equipped for preparing meals

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

legnounUS /leɡ/

a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle

From this reading Slicko was almost at the man’s leg.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Slicko was almost at the man’s leg.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

NESTnounUS /nest/

a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

oilclothnoun

cloth treated on one side with a drying oil or synthetic resin

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

papanounUS /ˈpɑːpʌ/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/

a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

ScamperingverbUS /ˈskæmpərɪŋ/

-ing form of “scamper” — to move about or proceed hurriedly

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

SLICKO

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

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/

with low volume

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading I’ll soon tell you who the man was.

squirrelnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəl/

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

sugarnounUS /ˈʃʊɡər/

a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading I’ll soon tell you who the man was.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading SLICKO FINDS HER NEST Scampering softly over the oilcloth of the kitchen floor, Slicko came close to the man.

tricksnounUS /trɪks/

plural of “trick” — a cunning or deceitful action or device

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Slicko thought it was Bob’s papa, but it was not.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading I’ll soon tell you who the man was.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading “I do hope he has some sugar for me,” thought Slicko, for sometimes Bob’s papa would play at tricks and games with the little squirrel, and do just as Bob did--hide things in his pocket.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I’ll soon tell you who the man was.

Chapter 12 of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel by Richard Barnum holds 176 sentences, grouped into 36 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.

What does chapter 12 of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel contain?

Chapter 12 holds 176 sentences of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel by Richard Barnum exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 176 sentences, grouped into 36 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 Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 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 Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel

Common questions about reading Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel by Richard Barnum on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel?

Yes. All 1797 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56510 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56510, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel take to read?

About 149 minutes of reading across 360 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel section by section

How to work through Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel 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 Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Slicko
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Learns
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Round
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trunk
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.