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The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque
The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.
Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.
It rang in his brain--ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-a-ling!
They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.
So near Orange!
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 Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque is here in full — 127 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.
Line 2
Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.
Line 3
It rang in his brain--ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-a-ling!
Line 4
They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.
/ðeɪ wɜːr naʊ ˈstɑːpɪŋ æt ðə səˈherə ɡɑːlf klʌb oʊˈeɪsɪs wɪtʃ ɪz ˈrɪli ə mɪr ˈsʌbərb ʌv ˈɔːrəndʒ ˈveri ˈpɑːpjələr bɪˈkɔːz ðə ɡɑːlf klʌb oʊˈeɪsɪs wɑːz ðə ˈwetəst ɑːn ðə ˈdezərt/
Line 5
So near Orange!
/soʊ nɪr ˈɔːrəndʒ/

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.

masterful adjective US /ˈmæstərfəl/

having or revealing supreme mastery or skill

From this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

noodle noun US /ˈnuːdəl/

a ribbonlike strip of pasta

From this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

oasis noun US /oʊˈeɪsɪs/

a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)

From this reading “They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.”

Sahara noun US /səˈherə/

the world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in northern Africa

From this reading “They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.”

Sheik noun US /ʃiːk/

the leader of an Arab village or family

From this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

suburb noun US /ˈsʌbərb/

a residential district located on the outskirts of a city

From this reading “They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.”

trepidation noun US /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/

a feeling of alarm or dread

From this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

wettest adjective US /ˈwetəst/

superlative of “wet” — covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading “They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.”

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.

Golf club noun + noun

a club of people to play golf

In this reading “They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.”

two months noun + noun counted as “two month”

In this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

Big Tent adjective + noun

In this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

about two preposition + noun

In this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

hang out verb + adjective

spend time in a certain location or with certain people

In this reading “It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

BigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading It rang in his brain--ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-a-ling!

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

clamorouslyadverb

in manner that attracts attention

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

clubnounUS /klʌb/

a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/

past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

contemplatingverbUS /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪŋ/

-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

desertverbUS /ˈdezərt/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

ding-a-ling

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

From this reading It rang in his brain--ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-a-ling!

ding-a-ling-a-ling

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

From this reading It rang in his brain--ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-a-ling!

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

evidencesnounUS /ˈevədənsəz/

plural of “evidence” — your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

FearverbUS /fɪr/

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

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

GolfnounUS /ɡɑːlf/

a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

hangverbUS /hæŋ/

be suspended or hanging

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

helpingnounUS /ˈhelpɪŋ/

an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

Hulda

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

likingnounUS /ˈlaɪkɪŋ/

a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

masterfuladjectiveUS /ˈmæstərfəl/

having or revealing supreme mastery or skill

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/

being nothing more than specified

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/

the second day of the week; the first working day

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading So near Orange!

noodlenounUS /ˈnuːdəl/

a ribbonlike strip of pasta

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

oasisnounUS /oʊˈeɪsɪs/

a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

OrangenounUS /ˈɔːrəndʒ/

round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

ponderingadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːndərɪŋ/

deeply or seriously thoughtful

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

popularadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːpjələr/

regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading It rang in his brain--ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-a-ling!

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

red-capped

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

regardingverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

ruminating

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

SaharanounUS /səˈherə/

the world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in northern Africa

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

SheiknounUS /ʃiːk/

the leader of an Arab village or family

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So near Orange!

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

stoppingnounUS /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

suburbnounUS /ˈsʌbərb/

a residential district located on the outskirts of a city

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Fear suddenly clutched him clamorously by the heart.

TentnounUS /tent/

a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

trepidationnounUS /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/

a feeling of alarm or dread

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

Verbeena

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

washverbUS /wɑːʃ/

clean with some chemical process

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

wettestadjectiveUS /ˈwetəst/

superlative of “wet” — covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading They were now stopping at the Sahara Golf club oasis which is really a mere suburb of Orange, very popular because the golf club oasis was the wettest on the desert.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

worryverbUS /ˈwɜːri/

be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy

From this reading It was a Monday morning about two months later and the Sheik was helping Hulda hang out the wash in the back of the Big Tent, his soul pondering in trepidation, even worry as one might say, regarding what Verbeena was contemplating, what she was ruminating with such open evidences of liking it, in her masterful, little, red-capped noodle.

Chapter 12 of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque by Charles Somerville holds 127 sentences, grouped into 26 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 Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque contain?

Chapter 12 holds 127 sentences of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque by Charles Somerville exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 127 sentences, grouped into 26 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 Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque

Common questions about reading The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque by Charles Somerville on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque?

Yes. All 1753 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40934 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40934, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque take to read?

About 146 minutes of reading across 351 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque section by section

How to work through The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque 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 Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Printed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
United
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
States
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
America
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.