Chapter 12 of Stalky & Co. is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of Stalky & Co. is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“What d’you mean?” “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk. “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it? By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?” “Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.
Chapter 12 of Stalky & Co. is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/45 · 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.
English actor on stage and in films (1908-1990)
From this reading ““Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.”
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading ““Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?”
-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading ““Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.”
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading ““Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?”
plural of “mare” — female equine animal
From this reading “By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?””
plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading “By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?””
deeply or seriously thoughtful
From this reading ““You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.”
a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing
From this reading ““Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.”
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 “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What d’you mean?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
English actor on stage and in films (1908-1990)
From this reading “Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading “Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading “Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
plural of “mare” — female equine animal
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “What d’you mean?”
plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
deeply or seriously thoughtful
From this reading “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing
From this reading “Look here,” said Harrison, hoping for instant reward.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Exhaustin’ job superintendin’ the honor of the house, ain’t it?
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading By the way, how are you off for mares’-nests?”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What d’you mean?”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You look a little pensive,” said McTurk.
Chapter 12 of Stalky & Co. by Rudyard Kipling holds 229 sentences, grouped into 46 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.
Chapter 12 holds 229 sentences of Stalky & Co., unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of Stalky & Co. by Rudyard Kipling exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 229 sentences, grouped into 46 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 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 46 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 Stalky & Co. by Rudyard Kipling on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5387 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3006 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #3006, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 448 minutes of reading across 1078 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Stalky & Co. section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 23 chapters of Stalky & Co. 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 Stalky & Co., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
