Chapter 2 of The Bat is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Bat is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Anderson smiled. “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said. “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief. “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir? I thought I—” “Well, you’re not,” said the chief decidedly.
Chapter 2 of The Bat is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 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.
United States author whose works were frequently autobiographical (1876-1941)
From this reading “Anderson smiled.”
nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
From this reading ““The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.”
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading “I thought I—” “Well, you’re not,” said the chief decidedly.”
(theater) the space over the stage (out of view of the audience) used to store scenery (drop curtains)
From this reading ““The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.”
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading ““Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?”
by chance
From this reading ““I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.”
showing possibility of achievement or excellence
From this reading ““I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.”
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading ““Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?”
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 “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
United States author whose works were frequently autobiographical (1876-1941)
From this reading Anderson smiled.
any thing at all
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
a person who is in charge
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading I thought I—” “Well, you’re not,” said the chief decidedly.
(theater) the space over the stage (out of view of the audience) used to store scenery (drop curtains)
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
the act of departing
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I thought I—” “Well, you’re not,” said the chief decidedly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
by chance
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
many times at short intervals
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
on one occasion
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
showing possibility of achievement or excellence
From this reading “I’m not promising anything, chief, but—” “Maybe,” said the chief.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
term of address for a man
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Anderson smiled.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought I—” “Well, you’re not,” said the chief decidedly.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “The cagiest bat flies once too often,” he said.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
(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 I thought I—” “Well, you’re not,” said the chief decidedly.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now wait a minute, keep your shirt on, you’re not going out bat hunting this minute, you know—” “Sir?
Chapter 2 of The Bat by Stephen Vincent Benét holds 225 sentences, grouped into 45 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 2 holds 225 sentences of The Bat, unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Bat by Stephen Vincent Benét exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 225 sentences, grouped into 45 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 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 45 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 2 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 The Bat by Stephen Vincent Benét on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4997 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2019 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2019, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 416 minutes of reading across 1000 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Bat section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 23 chapters of The Bat 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 The Bat, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
