Chapter 17 of All Adrift is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
Chapter 17 of All Adrift is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC." "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield. "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time." "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones. "I am going back to Burlington," answered Corny.
Chapter 17 of All Adrift is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/26 · 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.
the largest city in Vermont; located in northwestern Vermont on Lake Champlain; site of the University of Vermont
From this reading “"I am going back to Burlington," answered Corny.”
dull and tiresome but with pretensions of significance or originality
From this reading “"I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.”
third-person singular of “decide” — reach, make, or come to a decision about something
From this reading “DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."”
a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled
From this reading “DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."”
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “"I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.”
superlative of “gentle” — soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading “"What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.”
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading “DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."”
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “"What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.”
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.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I am going back to Burlington," answered Corny.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "I am going back to Burlington," answered Corny.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
the largest city in Vermont; located in northwestern Vermont on Lake Champlain; site of the University of Vermont
From this reading "I am going back to Burlington," answered Corny.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
dull and tiresome but with pretensions of significance or originality
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
third-person singular of “decide” — reach, make, or come to a decision about something
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
superlative of “gentle” — soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
the act of departing
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I am going back to Burlington," answered Corny.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!" exclaimed Corny Minkfield.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO "FACE THE MUSIC."
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What are you going to do, Corny?" asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.
Chapter 17 of All Adrift by Oliver Optic holds 132 sentences, grouped into 27 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 17 holds 132 sentences of All Adrift, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 17 of All Adrift by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 132 sentences, grouped into 27 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 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 27 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 17 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 All Adrift by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3924 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25577 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25577, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 327 minutes of reading across 785 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through All Adrift section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 30 chapters of All Adrift 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 All Adrift, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
