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Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale
Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale is here in full — 55 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale
Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It grew colder and colder.
Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.
But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.
So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.
Which she did.
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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.

Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale is here in full — 55 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It grew colder and colder.
/ɪt ɡruː ˈkoʊldər ənd ˈkoʊldər/
Line 2
Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.
Line 3
But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.
Line 4
So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.
/soʊ ʌv kɔːrs ðer wɑːz ˈnʌθɪŋ tuː duː bʌt hæŋ ɑːn ənd ˈkʌdəl ʌp tuː ðə ber/
Line 5
Which she did.
/wɪtʃ ʃiː dɪd/

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.

climate noun US /ˈklaɪmət/

the weather in some location averaged over some long period of time

From this reading “Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.”

colder adjective US /ˈkoʊldər/

comparative of “cold” — having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading “It grew colder and colder.”

condensed verb US /kənˈdenst/

past form of “condense” — undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops

From this reading “Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.”

cuddle verb US /ˈkʌdəl/

move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position

From this reading “So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.”

melt verb US /melt/

reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating

From this reading “But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.”

sink verb US /sɪŋk/

fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading “But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.”

tablets noun US /ˈtæbləts/

plural of “tablet” — a slab of stone or wood suitable for bearing an inscription

From this reading “Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.”

tropical adjective US /ˈtrɑːpɪkəl/

relating to or situated in or characteristic of the tropics (the region on either side of the equator)

From this reading “But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.”

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.

tropical climate adjective + noun

In this reading “But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.”

grew colder verb + adjective counted as “grow cold”

In this reading “It grew colder and colder.”

of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.”

cried out verb + adjective counted as “cry out”

utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

In this reading “Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.”

hang on verb + particle

fix to; attach

In this reading “So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.”

All words in this reading · 58

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.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It grew colder and colder.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

BearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

beggedverbUS /beɡd/

inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

bottomnounUS /ˈbɑːtəm/

the lower side of anything

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

climatenounUS /ˈklaɪmət/

the weather in some location averaged over some long period of time

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

colderadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊldər/

comparative of “cold” — having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading It grew colder and colder.

condensedverbUS /kənˈdenst/

past form of “condense” — undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

cuddleverbUS /ˈkʌdəl/

move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Which she did.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading It grew colder and colder.

Growly

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

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

hangverbUS /hæŋ/

be suspended or hanging

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

ice-cake

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

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It grew colder and colder.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

Maida

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

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

MannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

meltverbUS /melt/

reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Which she did.

sinkverbUS /sɪŋk/

fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

tabletsnounUS /ˈtæbləts/

plural of “tablet” — a slab of stone or wood suitable for bearing an inscription

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

tropicaladjectiveUS /ˈtrɑːpɪkəl/

relating to or situated in or characteristic of the tropics (the region on either side of the equator)

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

VoicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading So, of course, there was nothing to do but hang on and cuddle up to the Bear.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Which she did.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Maida cried out to the Man with the Growly Voice and begged him to use one of the little tablets of condensed climate.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading But he called back and told her the tablets were all gone--and that if he turned on the tropical climate from the can the ice-cake would all melt and they would sink to the bottom of the sea.

Chapter 14 of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale by Mark Swan holds 55 sentences, grouped into 11 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 Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale contain?

Chapter 14 holds 55 sentences of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale, unabridged, divided into 11 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale by Mark Swan exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 55 sentences, grouped into 11 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 Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale?

Work through the 11 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 11 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 Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale

Common questions about reading Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale by Mark Swan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale?

Yes. All 1583 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59182 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59182, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale take to read?

About 131 minutes of reading across 317 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale section by section

How to work through Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale 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 Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale

Words and structures a reader meets early in Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Wishing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Grows
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Right
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ground
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Top o' the World: A Once Upon a Time Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.