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The Burgess Animal Book for Children
The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is here in full — 110 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Burgess Animal Book for Children
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.
You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.
It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.
Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”
I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.
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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.

The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is here in full — 110 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.
Line 2
You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.
/juː siː ɔːl felt ðeɪ mʌst biː ðer soʊ ðæt ðeɪ maɪt lɜːrn ɔːl ðeɪ ˈpɑːsəbli kʊd əˈbaʊt wʌn ðeɪ soʊ fɪrd/
Line 3
It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.
/ɪt maɪt help ðem tuː ɪˈskeɪp ʃʊd ðeɪ dɪˈskʌvər ˈʃæd.oʊ ˈhʌntɪŋ ðem ˈsʌmtaɪm/
Line 4
Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”
/straɪpt ˈtʃɪpməŋk sed oʊld ˈmʌðər ˈneɪtʃər juː noʊ ˈsʌmθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈʃæd.oʊ ðə ˈwiːzəl tel ʌs wʌt juː noʊ/
Line 5
I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

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.

agreement noun US /əˈɡriːmənt/

the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises

From this reading ““I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.”

aroused adjective US /ərˈaʊzd/

aroused to action

From this reading “Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.”

Chipmunk noun US /ˈtʃɪpməŋk/

a burrowing ground squirrel of western America and Asia; has cheek pouches and a light and dark stripe running down the body

From this reading ““Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.””

Prickly adjective US /ˈprɪkli/

very irritable

From this reading “Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.”

Skunk noun US /skʌŋk/

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

From this reading “Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.”

sometime adverb US /ˈsʌmtaɪm/

at some indefinite or unstated time

From this reading “It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.”

Striped adjective US /straɪpt/

marked or decorated with stripes

From this reading ““Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.””

Weasel noun US /ˈwiːzəl/

a person who is regarded as treacherous or sneaky

From this reading “Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.”

All words in this reading · 72

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

agreementnounUS /əˈɡriːmənt/

the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/

aroused to action

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

ChipmunknounUS /ˈtʃɪpməŋk/

a burrowing ground squirrel of western America and Asia; has cheek pouches and a light and dark stripe running down the body

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

declaredadjectiveUS /dɪˈklerd/

made known or openly avowed

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

despiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/

although something is true; in spite of

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

discoververbUS /dɪˈskʌvər/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

fearedverbUS /fɪrd/

past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

hatenounUS /heɪt/

the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

huntingnounUS /ˈhʌntɪŋ/

the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

JimmyverbUS /ˈdʒɪmi/

to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

mentionverbUS /ˈmenʃən/

make reference to

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/

being nothing more than specified

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

noddedverbUS /ˈnɑːdəd/

inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

others

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

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

Porky

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

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

possiblyadverbUS /ˈpɑːsəbli/

by chance

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

PricklyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪkli/

very irritable

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

ShadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

SkunknounUS /skʌŋk/

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

sometimeadverbUS /ˈsʌmtaɪm/

at some indefinite or unstated time

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

StripedadjectiveUS /straɪpt/

marked or decorated with stripes

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading “I know I hate him!” declared Striped Chipmunk, and all the others nodded their heads in agreement.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It might help them to escape should they discover Shadow hunting them sometime.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

WeaselnounUS /ˈwiːzəl/

a person who is regarded as treacherous or sneaky

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Striped Chipmunk,” said Old Mother Nature, “you know something about Shadow the Weasel, tell us what you know.”

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Every one was on hand when school opened the next morning, despite the fear that the mere mention of Shadow the Weasel had aroused in all save Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You see, all felt they must be there so that they might learn all they possibly could about one they so feared.

Chapter 23 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 110 sentences, grouped into 22 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.

What does chapter 23 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children contain?

Chapter 23 holds 110 sentences of The Burgess Animal Book for Children, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 110 sentences, grouped into 22 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 23 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Common questions about reading The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Burgess Animal Book for Children?

Yes. All 5021 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2441 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2441, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Burgess Animal Book for Children take to read?

About 418 minutes of reading across 1005 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Burgess Animal Book for Children section by section

How to work through The Burgess Animal Book for Children section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Burgess Animal Book for Children 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 The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Burgess Animal Book for Children, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

You're
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Alive
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Peter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rabbit
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.