Chapter 1 of A Debt of Honor is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of A Debt of Honor is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. A DEBT OF HONOR. THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST. _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis. A DEBT OF HONOR.
Chapter 1 of A Debt of Honor is here in full — 211 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
having something undesirable neutralized
From this reading “—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”
English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)
From this reading “_Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.”
plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading “—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading “_Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.”
possessive form of “lane” — a narrow way or road
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading “—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”
something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions
From this reading “—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.”
United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)
From this reading “_Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.”
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.
a boy who earns money by running errands
In this reading “_Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DEBT OF HONOR.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
a person who polishes shoes and boots
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
a youthful male person
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
having something undesirable neutralized
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading A DEBT OF HONOR.
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading A DEBT OF HONOR.
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
possessive form of “lane” — a narrow way or road
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
a boy who delivers newspapers
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DEBT OF HONOR.
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
male cat
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading THE STORY OF GERALD LANE’S SUCCESS IN THE FAR WEST.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _Author of “Joe’s Luck,” “Tom the Bootblack,” “Dan the Newsboy,” “The Errand Boy,” etc., etc._ With Five Page Illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
Chapter 1 of A Debt of Honor by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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.
Chapter 1 holds 211 sentences of A Debt of Honor, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of A Debt of Honor by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 211 sentences, grouped into 43 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.
Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 43 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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.
Common questions about reading A Debt of Honor by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4537 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51792 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #51792, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 378 minutes of reading across 908 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Debt of Honor section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of A Debt of Honor to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in A Debt of Honor, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
