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A Husband by Proxy
A Husband by Proxy

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of A Husband by Proxy is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Husband by Proxy
Context Illustration Reading 1/55 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.
With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.
New York at last!
He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.
He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.
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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.

A Husband by Proxy

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of A Husband by Proxy is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.
Line 2
With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.
Line 3
New York at last!
/nuː jɔːrk æt læst/
Line 4
He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.
Line 5
He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.
/hiː wɑːz ˈɔːlmoʊst ˈpeniləs wɪð hɪz ˈɔːfɪs rent hɪz ˈlaɪsənsɪz ənd ˈʌðər ɪkˈspensəz peɪd bʌt hiː ʃʊk hɪz fɪst æt ðə ˈsɪti ɪn ʃɪr ɡʊd ˈneɪtʃər ənd ˈkɑːnfədəns ɪn hɪz streŋkθ dɪˈspaɪt ðə fækt hiː hæd ˈweɪtɪd ə wiːk fɔːr ɪkˈspektəd emˈplɔɪmənt ənd ˈnʌθɪŋ æt ˈprezənt luːmd əˈpɑːn ðə hərˈaɪzən/

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.

activities noun US /ækˈtɪvətiz/

plural of “activity” — any specific behavior

From this reading “With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.”

criminologist noun US /ˌkrɪmɪˈnɑːlədʒɪst/

a specialist in criminology

From this reading “With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.”

Inc noun US /ɪŋk/

a heterogeneous collection of groups united in their opposition to Saddam Hussein's government of Iraq; formed in 1992 it is comprised of Sunni and Shiite Arabs and Kurds who hope to build a new government

From this reading “Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.”

licenses noun US /ˈlaɪsənsɪz/

plural of “license” — a legal document giving official permission to do something

From this reading “He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.”

Manhattan noun US /mænˈhætən/

one of the five boroughs of New York City

From this reading “He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.”

penniless adjective US /ˈpeniləs/

not having enough money to pay for necessities

From this reading “He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.”

prodding noun US /ˈprɑːdɪŋ/

a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something

From this reading “With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.”

pulses noun US /ˈpʌlsɪz/

plural of “pulse” — (electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)

From this reading “With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

activitiesnounUS /ækˈtɪvətiz/

plural of “activity” — any specific behavior

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

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 With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

chargedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrdʒd/

of a particle or body or system; having a net amount of positive or negative electric charge

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

confidencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

criminologistnounUS /ˌkrɪmɪˈnɑːlədʒɪst/

a specialist in criminology

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

Desmond

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

From this reading Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.

despiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/

although something is true; in spite of

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

employmentnounUS /emˈplɔɪmənt/

the state of being employed or having a job

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/

(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

expensesnounUS /ɪkˈspensəz/

plural of “expense” — amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

expertadjectiveUS /ˈekspərt/

having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

fistnounUS /fɪst/

a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

FitzGeraldnounUS /fɪtsˈdʒerəld/

English poet remembered primarily for his free translation of the poetry of Omar Khayyam (1809-1883)

From this reading Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

GarrisonnounUS /ˈɡærɪsən/

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

horizonnounUS /hərˈaɪzən/

the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

humverbUS /hʌm/

sing with closed lips

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

IncnounUS /ɪŋk/

a heterogeneous collection of groups united in their opposition to Saddam Hussein's government of Iraq; formed in 1992 it is comprised of Sunni and Shiite Arabs and Kurds who hope to build a new government

From this reading Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

Jerold

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

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading New York at last!

licensesnounUS /ˈlaɪsənsɪz/

plural of “license” — a legal document giving official permission to do something

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

loomedverbUS /luːmd/

past form of “loom” — come into view indistinctly, often threateningly

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

ManhattannounUS /mænˈhætən/

one of the five boroughs of New York City

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

pennilessadjectiveUS /ˈpeniləs/

not having enough money to pay for necessities

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

pridenounUS /praɪd/

a feeling of self-respect and personal worth

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

proddingnounUS /ˈprɑːdɪŋ/

a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

pulsesnounUS /ˈpʌlsɪz/

plural of “pulse” — (electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients)

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

recentlyadverbUS /ˈriːsəntli/

in the recent past

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

rentverbUS /rent/

let for money

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

roofsnounUS /ruːfs/

plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/

complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/

agitating a liquid with an implement

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

streetsnounUS /striːts/

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/

the property of being physically or mentally strong

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

unknownadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊn/

not known

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/

past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He was here--unknown and alone, it was true--but charged with an energy that he promised Manhattan should feel.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading He was almost penniless, with his office rent, his licenses, and other expenses paid, but he shook his fist at the city, in sheer good nature and confidence in his strength, despite the fact he had waited a week for expected employment, and nothing at present loomed upon the horizon.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading With the hum of New York above, below, and all about him, stirring his pulses and prodding his mental activities, Jerold Garrison, expert criminologist, stood at the window of his recently opened office, looking out upon the roofs and streets of the city with a new sense of pride and power in his being.

Chapter 1 of A Husband by Proxy by Jack Steele holds 276 sentences, grouped into 56 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 1 of A Husband by Proxy contain?

Chapter 1 holds 276 sentences of A Husband by Proxy, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of A Husband by Proxy by Jack Steele exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 276 sentences, grouped into 56 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.

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Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 56 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

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

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Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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