Teddy Bears

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Teddy Bears is here in full — 50 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Adah Louise Sutton • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

_They Visit the Kitchen._ VERY cautiously they set forth, Peter Pan conducting, while Bedelia brought up the rear in order to safeguard the small fry from any possible attack in either direction.

Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

In the kitchen hall they broke ranks.

The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

Narrator

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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.

Teddy Bears Adah Louise Sutton

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Teddy Bears is here in full — 50 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

_They Visit the Kitchen._ VERY cautiously they set forth, Peter Pan conducting, while Bedelia brought up the rear in order to safeguard the small fry from any possible attack in either direction. Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions. In the kitchen hall they broke ranks. The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax. Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

Teddy Bears

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Teddy Bears is here in full — 50 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/10 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

_They Visit the Kitchen._ VERY cautiously they set forth, Peter Pan conducting, while Bedelia brought up the rear in order to safeguard the small fry from any possible attack in either direction.

Line 2

Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

/ˈsaɪləntli ðə ˈlɪtəl prəˈseʃən krept frʌm ðə ˈnɜːrsəri ənd ˈhɑːpɪŋ ənd ˈslaɪdɪŋ daʊn ðə sterz ˈswɪftli ədˈvænst əˈpɑːn ðə ˈloʊər ˈriːdʒənz/

Line 3

In the kitchen hall they broke ranks.

/ɪn ðə ˈkɪtʃən hɔːl ðeɪ broʊk ræŋks/

Line 4

The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

/ðə ˈkɪtʃən wɑːz ə bɪɡ braɪt ruːm ˈbjuːtəfli kept ənd æz kliːn æz wæks/

Line 5

Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

/ˌɪnˈdiːd kʊk wɑːz ɪn ðə ˈhæbət ʌv ˈseɪɪŋ ðæt juː kʊd iːt ɔːf ðə flɔːr wɪtʃ wɑːz ənˈdaʊtɪdli truː prəˈvaɪdɪd juː dɪd nɑːt prəˈfɜːr ə ˈteɪbəl ənd tʃer/

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.

conducting noun US /kənˈdʌktɪŋ/

the way of administering a business

From this reading “_They Visit the Kitchen._ VERY cautiously they set forth, Peter Pan conducting, while Bedelia brought up the rear in order to safeguard the small fry from any possible attack in either direction.”

fry verb US /fraɪ/

be excessively hot

hopping verb US /ˈhɑːpɪŋ/

inflected form of “hop” — jump lightly

From this reading “Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.”

nursery noun US /ˈnɜːrsəri/

a child's room for a baby

From this reading “Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.”

regions noun US /ˈriːdʒənz/

plural of “region” — the extended spatial location of something

From this reading “Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.”

safeguard noun US /ˈseɪfɡɑːrd/

a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.

sliding adjective US /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/

being a smooth continuous motion

From this reading “Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.”

wax verb US /wæks/

cover with wax

From this reading “The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.”

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.

lower regions verb + noun counted as “lower region”

In this reading “Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.”

set forth verb + particle

state

In this reading “_They Visit the Kitchen._ VERY cautiously they set forth, Peter Pan conducting, while Bedelia brought up the rear in order to safeguard the small fry from any possible attack in either direction.”

undoubtedly true adverb + adjective

In this reading “Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.”

in order preposition + noun

in a state of proper readiness or preparation or arrangement

brought up verb + adjective counted as “bring up”

summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

little procession adjective + noun

In this reading “Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.”

In the kitchen preposition + article + noun counted as “in … kitchen”

In this reading “In the kitchen hall they broke ranks.”

in the habit preposition + article + noun counted as “in … habit”

In this reading “Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

advancedadjectiveUS /ədˈvænst/

farther along in physical or mental development

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading _They Visit the Kitchen._ VERY cautiously they set forth, Peter Pan conducting, while Bedelia brought up the rear in order to safeguard the small fry from any possible attack in either direction.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

attacknounUS /əˈtæk/

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/

in a beautiful manner

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

Bedelia

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

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading In the kitchen hall they broke ranks.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/

as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

cleanadjectiveUS /kliːn/

free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

conductingnounUS /kənˈdʌktɪŋ/

the way of administering a business

cookverbUS /kʊk/

prepare a hot meal

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

creptverbUS /krept/

inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

eatverbUS /iːt/

take in solid food

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

floornounUS /flɔːr/

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

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

fryverbUS /fraɪ/

be excessively hot

habitnounUS /ˈhæbət/

an established custom

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

hallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading In the kitchen hall they broke ranks.

hoppingverbUS /ˈhɑːpɪŋ/

inflected form of “hop” — jump lightly

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

KitchennounUS /ˈkɪtʃən/

a room equipped for preparing meals

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

lowerverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

nurserynounUS /ˈnɜːrsəri/

a child's room for a baby

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

PanverbUS /pæn/

make a sweeping movement

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

preferverbUS /prəˈfɜːr/

like better; value more highly

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

processionnounUS /prəˈseʃən/

(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

providedverbUS /prəˈvaɪdɪd/

past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

ranksnounUS /ræŋks/

plural of “rank” — a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading In the kitchen hall they broke ranks.

rearnounUS /rɪr/

the back of a military formation or procession

regionsnounUS /ˈriːdʒənz/

plural of “region” — the extended spatial location of something

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

safeguardnounUS /ˈseɪfɡɑːrd/

a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

SilentlyadverbUS /ˈsaɪləntli/

without speaking

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

slidingadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/

being a smooth continuous motion

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

swiftlyadverbUS /ˈswɪftli/

in a swift manner

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

undoubtedlyadverbUS /ənˈdaʊtɪdli/

without doubt; certainly

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Silently the little procession crept from the nursery and hopping and sliding down the stairs swiftly advanced upon the lower regions.

VERYadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

VisitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

waxverbUS /wæks/

cover with wax

From this reading The kitchen was a big, bright room, beautifully kept and as clean as wax.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Indeed, cook was in the habit of saying that you could eat off the floor, which was undoubtedly true provided you did not prefer a table and chair.

Chapter 12 of Teddy Bears by Adah Louise Sutton holds 50 sentences, grouped into 10 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 Teddy Bears contain?

Chapter 12 holds 50 sentences of Teddy Bears, unabridged, divided into 10 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Teddy Bears by Adah Louise Sutton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 50 sentences, grouped into 10 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 Teddy Bears?

Work through the 10 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 10 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 Teddy Bears

Common questions about reading Teddy Bears by Adah Louise Sutton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Teddy Bears?

Yes. All 1055 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51199 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Teddy Bears is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #51199, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Teddy Bears take to read?

About 87 minutes of reading across 211 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Teddy Bears

Words and structures a reader meets early in Teddy Bears, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Saalfield: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Teddy Bears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Publishing: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Teddy Bears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Crate: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Teddy Bears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Teddy: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Teddy Bears; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XII

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Vocabulary met early in Teddy Bears