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The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.
Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.
At once the matador became very much on the alert.
He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.
Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.
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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 Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle is here in full — 200 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.
Line 2
Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.
/ˈprezəntli ə lɑːrdʒ dɔːr ɑːn ðə ˈʌðər saɪd ʌv ðə rɪŋ wɑːz roʊld bæk ənd ɪn ˈɡæləpt wʌn ʌv ðə bʊlz ðen ðə dɔːr wɑːz kloʊzd əˈɡen/
Line 3
At once the matador became very much on the alert.
/æt wʌns ðə ˈmætədɔːr bɪˈkeɪm ˈveri mʌtʃ ɑːn ðə əˈlɜːrt/
Line 4
He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.
/hiː weɪvd hɪz red kloʊk ənd ðə bʊl rʌʃt æt hɪm/
Line 5
Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.

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.

alert adjective US /əˈlɜːrt/

engaged in or accustomed to close observation

From this reading “At once the matador became very much on the alert.”

bulls noun US /bʊlz/

plural of “bull” — uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading “Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.”

cheered verb US /tʃɪrd/

past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to

From this reading “When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.”

clapped verb US /klæpt/

inflected form of “clap” — put quickly or forcibly

From this reading “When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.”

galloped verb US /ˈɡæləpt/

past form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace

From this reading “Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.”

kisses noun US /ˈkɪsəz/

plural of “kiss” — the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)

From this reading “When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.”

matador noun US /ˈmætədɔːr/

the principal bullfighter who is appointed to make the final passes and kill the bull

From this reading “At once the matador became very much on the alert.”

nimbly adverb US /ˈnɪmbli/

in a nimble or agile manner; with quickness and lightness and ease

From this reading “Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.”

All words in this reading · 53

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 Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/

engaged in or accustomed to close observation

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

asideadverbUS /əˈsaɪd/

on or to one side

From this reading Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

blewverbUS /bluː/

inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

bullnounUS /bʊl/

uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

bullsnounUS /bʊlz/

plural of “bull” — uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

cheeredverbUS /tʃɪrd/

past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

clappedverbUS /klæpt/

inflected form of “clap” — put quickly or forcibly

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

cloaknounUS /kloʊk/

anything that covers or conceals

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

everybodypronounUS /ˈevribɑːdi/

every person

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

gallopedverbUS /ˈɡæləpt/

past form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

hatsnounUS /hæts/

plural of “hat” — headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

kissesnounUS /ˈkɪsəz/

plural of “kiss” — the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

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

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

matadornounUS /ˈmætədɔːr/

the principal bullfighter who is appointed to make the final passes and kill the bull

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

nimblyadverbUS /ˈnɪmbli/

in a nimble or agile manner; with quickness and lightness and ease

From this reading Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.

Pepito

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

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

PresentlyadverbUS /ˈprezəntli/

in the near future

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

ringverbUS /rɪŋ/

sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

rolledadjectiveUS /roʊld/

especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

rushedadjectiveUS /rʌʃt/

done under pressure

From this reading He waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading At once the matador became very much on the alert.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the bulls; then the door was closed again.

wavedverbUS /weɪvd/

past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Pepito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hats.

Chapter 14 of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting holds 200 sentences, grouped into 40 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 14 of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle contain?

Chapter 14 holds 200 sentences of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 200 sentences, grouped into 40 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 14 of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Common questions about reading The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle?

Yes. All 4755 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1154 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1154, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle take to read?

About 396 minutes of reading across 951 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle section by section

How to work through The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fredk
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stokes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fourth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.