Benton's Venture

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of Benton's Venture is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Ralph Henry Barbour • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 18 of Benton's Venture by Ralph Henry Barbour holds 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 18 of Benton's Venture contain?

Chapter 18 holds 155 sentences of Benton's Venture, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of Benton's Venture by Ralph Henry Barbour exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 18 of Benton's Venture?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Benton's Venture

Common questions about reading Benton's Venture by Ralph Henry Barbour on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Benton's Venture?

Yes. All 5144 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66533 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Benton's Venture is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #66533, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Benton's Venture take to read?

About 428 minutes of reading across 1029 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Benton's Venture section by section

How to work through Benton's Venture section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 29 chapters of Benton's Venture to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Benton's Venture

Words and structures a reader meets early in Benton's Venture, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Automobile: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Benton's Venture; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Benton: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Benton's Venture; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smiled: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Benton's Venture; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shook: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Benton's Venture; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

“I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

Narrator

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.

Chapter XVIII Reading 1/31

Benton's Venture

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of Benton's Venture is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

Line 2

When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

Line 3

“I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

Line 4

You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

Line 5

Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

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, audio, and collocations from this reading.

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.”

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.”

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading ““I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.”

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?””

Shall modal verb US /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?””

Yourself pronoun US /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading “Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?””

All words in this reading · 66

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

all

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

always

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

arrived

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

better

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

book

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

business

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

butting

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

cabinet

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

can't

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

come

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

desk

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

DIVIDENDS

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

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

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

Grace

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

held

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

here

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

home

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

interrupted

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

like

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

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

little

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

meeting

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

Morris

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

office

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

out

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

papers

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

ready

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

said

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

shop

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

spread

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

supper

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

thought

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

Tom

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

TWO

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

want

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

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading DIVIDENDS FOR TWO The meeting was held after supper in the little office at Mr. Morris’ cabinet shop.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

we'd

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

Willard

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

From this reading When Tom arrived Willard had his book and papers spread out on the desk and was all ready for business.

wouldn't

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

From this reading “I thought,” said Willard, “we’d better come around here where we wouldn’t be interrupted.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You can’t do anything like this at home because Grace is always butting in.

yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading Do you want to go over this yourself or shall I do it?”

Chapter XVIII

What does chapter 18 of Benton's Venture contain?

How do I study chapter 18 of Benton's Venture?

Can chapter 18 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading Benton's Venture

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Vocabulary met early in Benton's Venture