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The Sheriff of Badger
The Sheriff of Badger

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of The Sheriff of Badger is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By George Pattullo • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Sheriff of Badger
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.
Paula brought in the dishes.
She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.
Once she spoke sharply.
He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.
0:00 / 0:00
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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 Sheriff of Badger

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of The Sheriff of Badger is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.
Line 2
Paula brought in the dishes.
Line 3
She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.
Line 4
Once she spoke sharply.
/wʌns ʃiː spoʊk ˈʃɑːrpli/
Line 5
He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.
/hiː ɡeɪv ə kɜːrt ˈænsər ənd əˈpɪrd pərˈtɜːrbd/

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.

contracted adjective US /ˈkɑːntræktəd/

reduced in size or pulled together

From this reading “A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
curt adjective US /kɜːrt/

marked by rude or peremptory shortness

From this reading “He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dishes noun US /ˈdɪʃəz/

plural of “dish” — a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food

From this reading “Paula brought in the dishes.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dispute verb US /dɪsˈpjuːt/

take exception to

From this reading “A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perturbed adjective US /pərˈtɜːrbd/

thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)

From this reading “He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
questioning adjective US /ˈkwestʃənɪŋ/

perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)

From this reading “She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sickness noun US /ˈsɪknəs/

impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

From this reading “A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
steadiness noun US /ˈstedinɪs/

freedom from wavering or indecision; constancy of resolve or conduct

From this reading “She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

at the ball preposition + article + noun counted as “at … ball”

In this reading “A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.”

1,993 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 48

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 A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
answerverbUS /ˈænsər/

react verbally

From this reading He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ballnounUS /bɔːl/

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Paula brought in the dishes.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
contractedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntræktəd/

reduced in size or pulled together

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
curtadjectiveUS /kɜːrt/

marked by rude or peremptory shortness

From this reading He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dishesnounUS /ˈdɪʃəz/

plural of “dish” — a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food

From this reading Paula brought in the dishes.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
disputeverbUS /dɪsˈpjuːt/

take exception to

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ITSdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JohnsonnounUS /ˈdʒɑːnsən/

English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
limpidadjective

clear and bright

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MacFarlane

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

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

Pending verification
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OnceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Once she spoke sharply.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Paula

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

From this reading Paula brought in the dishes.

Pending verification
perturbedadjectiveUS /pərˈtɜːrbd/

thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)

From this reading He gave a curt answer and appeared perturbed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PUNISHMENTnounUS /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/

the act of punishing

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
questioningadjectiveUS /ˈkwestʃənɪŋ/

perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SACRIFICEnounUS /ˈsækrəfaɪs/

the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Salazar

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

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Pending verification
sharplyadverbUS /ˈʃɑːrpli/

in an aggressive manner

From this reading Once she spoke sharply.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
sicknessnounUS /ˈsɪknəs/

impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
solemnadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləm/

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading Once she spoke sharply.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
steadinessnounUS /ˈstedinɪs/

freedom from wavering or indecision; constancy of resolve or conduct

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading She fixed her solemn, round eyes on Mrs. MacFarlane and Johnson could read a questioning in their limpid steadiness.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A SACRIFICE AND ITS PUNISHMENT Salazar was not on hand at breakfast, having contracted a sickness in the head during a dispute at the ball.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 16 of The Sheriff of Badger by George Pattullo holds 186 sentences, grouped into 38 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 16 of The Sheriff of Badger contain?

Chapter 16 holds 186 sentences of The Sheriff of Badger, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Sheriff of Badger by George Pattullo exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 186 sentences, grouped into 38 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 16 of The Sheriff of Badger?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Sheriff of Badger

Common questions about reading The Sheriff of Badger by George Pattullo on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Sheriff of Badger?

Yes. All 5660 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34281 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Sheriff of Badger is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34281, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Sheriff of Badger take to read?

About 471 minutes of reading across 1132 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Sheriff of Badger section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Sheriff of Badger 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 Sheriff of Badger

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Sheriff of Badger, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Shock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sheriff of Badger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Learn
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sheriff of Badger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cowland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sheriff of Badger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Considerable
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sheriff of Badger; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.