Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Fat of the Land
The Fat of the Land

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Fat of the Land is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Fat of the Land
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.
I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.
The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.
The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.
All three cost about $60.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Fat of the Land

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Fat of the Land is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.
Line 2
I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.
/aɪ left ðə dʒɑːb æz ə hoʊl tuː ˈnelsən ənd hiː meɪd sʌm sɔːrt ʌv ˈkɑːntrækt wɪð ðə ˈmeɪsən/
Line 3
The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.
Line 4
The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.
Line 5
All three cost about $60.

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 “The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.”

commence verb US /kəˈmens/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading “A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.”

cooking noun US /ˈkʊkɪŋ/

the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat

From this reading “The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.”

heater noun US /ˈhiːtər/

device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room

From this reading “The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.”

mason noun US /ˈmeɪsən/

American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading “A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.”

Nelson noun US /ˈnelsən/

English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading “A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.”

product noun US /ˈprɑːdəkt/

commodities offered for sale

From this reading “A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.”

ration noun US /ˈræʃən/

the food allowance for one day (especially for service personnel)

From this reading “A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.”

All words in this reading · 54

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.

4260

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

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

60

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

From this reading All three cost about $60.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading All three cost about $60.

agreementnounUS /əˈɡriːmənt/

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

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

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 All three cost about $60.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

barnnounUS /bɑːrn/

an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

cauldrons

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

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

commenceverbUS /kəˈmens/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

completeverbUS /kəmˈpliːt/

come or bring to a finish or an end

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

contractverbUS /ˈkɑːntrækt/

enter into a contractual arrangement

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/

the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

costnounUS /kɑːst/

the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor

From this reading All three cost about $60.

cow-house

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

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

heaternounUS /ˈhiːtər/

device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

jobnounUS /dʒɑːb/

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

machinerynounUS /məˈʃiːnəri/

machines or machine systems collectively

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

masonnounUS /ˈmeɪsən/

American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

NelsonnounUS /ˈnelsən/

English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

payverbUS /peɪ/

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

PRODUCTnounUS /ˈprɑːdəkt/

commodities offered for sale

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

RATIONnounUS /ˈræʃən/

the food allowance for one day (especially for service personnel)

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

simpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The agreement was that I should pay $4260 for the barn complete.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading All three cost about $60.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The machinery we put into it was very simple,--a water heater and two cauldrons for cooking food.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I left the job as a whole to Nelson, and he made some sort of contract with the mason.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading A RATION FOR PRODUCT Nelson was to commence work on the cow-house at once; at least, the mason was.

Chapter 12 of The Fat of the Land by John Williams Streeter holds 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 The Fat of the Land contain?

Chapter 12 holds 170 sentences of The Fat of the Land, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Fat of the Land by John Williams Streeter exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 The Fat of the Land?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 The Fat of the Land

Common questions about reading The Fat of the Land by John Williams Streeter on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Fat of the Land?

Yes. All 4487 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #16525 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Fat of the Land is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #16525, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Fat of the Land take to read?

About 373 minutes of reading across 898 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Fat of the Land section by section

How to work through The Fat of the Land section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Fat of the Land 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 Fat of the Land

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Fat of the Land, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Location
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fat of the Land; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Experiment
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fat of the Land; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Utmost
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fat of the Land; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Importance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fat of the Land; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.