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

Chapter XXX · Chapter 30

Chapter 30 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Burgess Animal Book for Children
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.
There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.
No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.
Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.
Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”
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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 XXX · Chapter 30

Chapter 30 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.
/oʊld ˈmʌðər ˈneɪtʃər wɑːz dʒʌst əˈbaʊt tuː ˈoʊ.pən skuːl wen ə slaɪt nɔɪz ʌp ðə loʊn ˈlɪtəl pæθ druː ɔːl aɪz ɪn ðæt dərˈekʃən/
Line 2
There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.
/ðer ˈʃʌflɪŋ daʊn ðə loʊn ˈlɪtəl pæθ wɑːz ə kwɪr ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfeloʊ/
Line 3
No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.
/noʊ wʌn ˈniːdəd mɔːr ðæn wʌn lʊk æt ðæt ˈfʌni ʃɑːrp blæk ənd waɪt feɪs ʌv hɪz tuː ˈrekəɡnaɪz hɪm/
Line 4
Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.
/ˈbɑːbi kuːn ˈʃaʊtɪd ˈpiːtər ˈræbət/
Line 5
Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”
/ɑːr juː ˈkʌmɪŋ tuː dʒɔɪn ˈaʊər skuːl ˈbɑːbi/

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.

Bobby noun US /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading ““Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.”

Coon noun US /kuːn/

an eccentric or undignified rustic

From this reading ““Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.”

funny adjective US /ˈfʌni/

arousing or provoking laughter

From this reading “No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.”

Lone adjective US /loʊn/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading “Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.”

queer adjective US /kwɪr/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading “There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.”

Rabbit noun US /ˈræbət/

any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food

From this reading ““Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.”

recognize verb US /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/

accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

From this reading “No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.”

shuffling noun US /ˈʃʌflɪŋ/

walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet

From this reading “There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.”

All words in this reading · 57

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 Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

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 Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

BobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading “Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading “Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”

CoonnounUS /kuːn/

an eccentric or undignified rustic

From this reading “Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.

directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.

drewnounUS /druː/

United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

fellownounUS /ˈfeloʊ/

a boy or man

From this reading There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.

funnyadjectiveUS /ˈfʌni/

arousing or provoking laughter

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

joinverbUS /dʒɔɪn/

become part of; become a member of a group or organization

From this reading “Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

LoneadjectiveUS /loʊn/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

neededadjectiveUS /ˈniːdəd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

noisenounUS /nɔɪz/

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading “Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”

PathnounUS /pæθ/

a course of conduct

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

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

From this reading “Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.

queeradjectiveUS /kwɪr/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.

RabbitnounUS /ˈræbət/

any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food

From this reading “Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.

recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/

accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

sharpadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

shoutedadjectiveUS /ˈʃaʊtɪd/

in a vehement outcry

From this reading “Bobby Coon!” shouted Peter Rabbit.

shufflingnounUS /ˈʃʌflɪŋ/

walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet

From this reading There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.

slightnounUS /slaɪt/

a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There, shuffling down the Lone Little Path, was a queer looking fellow.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Old Mother Nature was just about to open school when a slight noise up the Lone Little Path drew all eyes in that direction.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading No one needed more than one look at that funny, sharp, black and white face of his to recognize him.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Are you coming to join our school, Bobby?”

Chapter 30 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 30 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children contain?

Chapter 30 holds 139 sentences of The Burgess Animal Book for Children, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 30 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 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 30 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 30 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 30 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.