Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Last of the Mohicans
The Last of the Mohicans

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Last of the Mohicans is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Last of the Mohicans
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”
Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.
The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.
It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.
As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.
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 Last of the Mohicans

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Last of the Mohicans is here in full — 206 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”
/kɜːrst biː maɪ traɪb ɪf aɪ fərˈɡɪv hɪm/
Line 2
Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.
/ˈʃaɪlɑːk ðə ˈɪndiən hæd səˈlektɪd fɔːr ðɪs dɪˈzaɪrəbəl ˈpɜːrpəs wʌn ʌv ðoʊz stiːp pərˈæmədəl hɪlz wɪtʃ ber ə strɔːŋ rɪˈzembləns tuː ˌɑːrtəˈfɪʃəl maʊndz ənd wɪtʃ soʊ ˈfriːkwəntli əˈkɜːr ɪn ðə ˈvæliz ʌv əˈmerəkə/
Line 3
The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.
/ðə wʌn ɪn ˈkwestʃən wɑːz haɪ ənd prɪˈsɪpɪtəs ɪts tɑːp ˈflætənd æz ˈjuːʒəwəl bʌt wɪð wʌn ʌv ɪts saɪdz mɔːr ðæn ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli ˌɪˈreɡjələr/
Line 4
It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.
/ɪt pəˈzest noʊ ˈʌðər əˈperənt ædˈvæntɪdʒ fɔːr ə ˈrestɪŋ pleɪs ðæn ɪn ɪts ˌeləˈveɪʃən ənd fɔːrm wɪtʃ maɪt ˈrendər dɪˈfens ˈiːzi ənd sərˈpraɪz ˈnɪrli ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/
Line 5
As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

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.

condolence noun US /kənˈdoʊləns/

an expression of sympathy with another's grief

From this reading “As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.”

devoting verb US /dɪˈvoʊtɪŋ/

-ing form of “devote” — give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

From this reading “As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.”

flattened adjective US /ˈflætənd/

having been flattened

From this reading “The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.”

Heyward noun US /ˈheɪwərd/

United States writer (1885-1940)

From this reading “As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.”

mounds noun US /maʊndz/

plural of “mound” — (baseball) the slight elevation on which the pitcher stands

From this reading “—Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.”

precipitous adjective US /prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/

done with very great haste and without due deliberation

From this reading “The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.”

pyramidal adjective US /pərˈæmədəl/

resembling a pyramid

From this reading “—Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.”

Shylock noun US /ˈʃaɪlɑːk/

someone who lends money at excessive rates of interest

From this reading “—Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.”

All words in this reading · 99

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 —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

advantagenounUS /ædˈvæntɪdʒ/

the quality of having a superior or more favorable position

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

apparentadjectiveUS /əˈperənt/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

artificialadjectiveUS /ˌɑːrtəˈfɪʃəl/

contrived by art rather than nature

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

bearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

comfortnounUS /ˈkʌmfərt/

a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

companionsnounUS /kəmˈpænjənz/

plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

condolencenounUS /kənˈdoʊləns/

an expression of sympathy with another's grief

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

CursedadjectiveUS /kɜːrst/

deserving a curse; sometimes used as an intensifier

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

defensenounUS /dɪˈfens/

(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

desirableadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪrəbəl/

worth having or seeking or achieving

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

devoidadjectiveUS /dɪˈvɔɪd/

completely wanting or lacking

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

devotingverbUS /dɪˈvoʊtɪŋ/

-ing form of “devote” — give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

elevationnounUS /ˌeləˈveɪʃən/

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

entirelyadverbUS /ɪnˈtaɪərli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

feebler

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

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

flattenedadjectiveUS /ˈflætənd/

having been flattened

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

forgiveverbUS /fərˈɡɪv/

stop blaming or grant forgiveness

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

frequentlyadverbUS /ˈfriːkwəntli/

many times at short intervals

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

HeywardnounUS /ˈheɪwərd/

United States writer (1885-1940)

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

improbableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɑːbəbəl/

not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

IndianadjectiveUS /ˈɪndiən/

of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

irregularadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələr/

contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

moundsnounUS /maʊndz/

plural of “mound” — (baseball) the slight elevation on which the pitcher stands

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

occurverbUS /əˈkɜːr/

come to pass

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

ordinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

peculiaritiesnounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerətiz/

plural of “peculiarity” — an odd or unusual characteristic

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

possessedadjectiveUS /pəˈzest/

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

precipitousadjectiveUS /prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/

done with very great haste and without due deliberation

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

pyramidaladjectiveUS /pərˈæmədəl/

resembling a pyramid

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

regardedverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd/

past form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

renderverbUS /ˈrendər/

cause to become

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

renderedverbUS /ˈrendərd/

past form of “render” — cause to become

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

rescueverbUS /ˈreskjuː/

free from harm or evil

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

resemblancenounUS /rɪˈzembləns/

similarity in appearance or external or superficial details

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

restingverbUS /ˈrestɪŋ/

-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/

chosen in preference to another

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

ShylocknounUS /ˈʃaɪlɑːk/

someone who lends money at excessive rates of interest

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

sidesnounUS /saɪdz/

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/

having a sharp inclination

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading It possessed no other apparent advantage for a resting place, than in its elevation and form, which might render defense easy, and surprise nearly impossible.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading As Heyward, however, no longer expected that rescue which time and distance now rendered so improbable, he regarded these little peculiarities with an eye devoid of interest, devoting himself entirely to the comfort and condolence of his feebler companions.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

tribenounUS /traɪb/

a social division of (usually preliterate) people

From this reading “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him.”

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

valleysnounUS /ˈvæliz/

plural of “valley” — a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading —Shylock The Indian had selected for this desirable purpose one of those steep, pyramidal hills, which bear a strong resemblance to artificial mounds, and which so frequently occur in the valleys of America.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The one in question was high and precipitous; its top flattened, as usual; but with one of its sides more than ordinarily irregular.

Chapter 12 of The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper holds 206 sentences, grouped into 42 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 12 of The Last of the Mohicans contain?

Chapter 12 holds 206 sentences of The Last of the Mohicans, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 206 sentences, grouped into 42 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 Last of the Mohicans?

Work through the 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 42 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 Last of the Mohicans

Common questions about reading The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Last of the Mohicans?

Yes. All 5661 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #940 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Last of the Mohicans is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #940, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Last of the Mohicans take to read?

About 471 minutes of reading across 1133 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Last of the Mohicans section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 34 chapters of The Last of the Mohicans 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 Last of the Mohicans

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

Believed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last of the Mohicans; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Scene
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last of the Mohicans; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Information
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last of the Mohicans; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Necessary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last of the Mohicans; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.