Backyard — 14 of 15

Part 6 - Literature

A thing has some text called printing. The printing of a thing is usually "blank".

Understand the command "read" as something new. Understand "read [something]" as reading. Reading is an action applying to one thing, requiring light. Check reading: if the printing of the noun is "blank", say "Nothing is written on [the noun]." instead. Carry out reading: say "You read: [printing of the noun][line break]". Report reading: do nothing.

A book is a kind of thing. Understand "book" as a book. A book has a table name called the contents.

A book can be stale or updated. A book is usually stale.

A book has a text called the update-text. The update-text of a book is usually "[italic type]updating[roman type]".

To update (scribbling - a book):

if the book is updated:

say "[update-text of the scribbling][line break]";

now the noun is stale;

Instead of reading a book:

update the noun;

say "[printing of the noun][line break]";

say "You can read about: [line break]";

repeat through the contents of the noun:

say "[heading entry][line break]".

Instead of consulting a book about a topic listed in the contents of the noun:

update the noun;

say "You read: [reply entry][paragraph break]".

Report consulting a book about:

update the noun;

say "You flip through [the noun], but find no reference to [the topic understood]." instead.

Understand "read about [text] in [something]" as consulting it about (with nouns reversed).

A diary is a book in the shed. The description of the diary is "A small battered book in your uncle's handwriting. It talks, in strangely cryptic terms, about observing animals and attracting them to you. Apparently it used to include sheafs of information on specific animals your uncle observed, but most of them got lost. It seems a nice place to keep your own observations, even if you won't be able to match its former glory." The contents of the diary is the Table of Diary Contents. The printing of the diary is "There are some loose pages, filled with notes on various animals.". The update-text of the diary is "Before reading further, you jot down some of your recent observations."