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Calvary Alley
Calvary Alley

Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

Chapter 22 of Calvary Alley is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Calvary Alley
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.
Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.
The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.
"Dan!
Is it you?" she cried.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

Calvary Alley

Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

Chapter 22 of Calvary Alley is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.
Line 2
Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.
/ˈdæʃɪŋ tuː ðə ˈsɪɡnəl ˈtaʊər hiː tʊk ðə steps tuː æt ə taɪm/
Line 3
The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.
/ðə smɔːl ruːm wɑːz ˈɔːlmoʊst dɑːrk bʌt hiː kʊd siː næns ˈniːlɪŋ ɑːn ðə flɔːr bɪˈsaɪd ðə bɪɡ ˈɡeɪtˌkiː.pər/
Line 4
"Dan!
Line 5
Is it you?" she cried.
/ɪz ɪt juː ʃiː kraɪd/

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.

breathless adjective US /ˈbreθləs/

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading “IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dashing adjective US /ˈdæʃɪŋ/

lively and spirited

From this reading “Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eternity noun US /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading “IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gatekeeper noun US /ˈɡeɪtˌkiː.pər/

An attendant or guardian who controls access through a gate or barrier.

From this reading “The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.”

Velmora curated lexicon
kneeling noun US /ˈniːlɪŋ/

supporting yourself on your knees

From this reading “The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Nance noun US /næns/

offensive term for a homosexual man

From this reading “The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
speeding noun US /ˈspiːdɪŋ/

changing location rapidly

From this reading “IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spied verb US /spaɪd/

inflected form of “spy” — catch sight of

From this reading “IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 50

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 Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

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

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
coatless

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Pending verification
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading Is it you?" she cried.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
crossingnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/

traveling across

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dan

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Pending verification
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/

lively and spirited

From this reading Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gatekeepernounUS /ˈɡeɪtˌkiː.pər/

An attendant or guardian who controls access through a gate or barrier.

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

Velmora curated lexicon
gatesnounUS /ɡeɪts/

United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hatlessadjective

not wearing a hat

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Is it you?" she cried.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
kneelingnounUS /ˈniːlɪŋ/

supporting yourself on your knees

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lightsnounUS /laɪts/

plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/

below the surround or below the normal position

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NancenounUS /næns/

offensive term for a homosexual man

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Is it you?" she cried.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SIGNALnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəl/

any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
speedingnounUS /ˈspiːdɪŋ/

changing location rapidly

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spiedverbUS /spaɪd/

inflected form of “spy” — catch sight of

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stormverbUS /stɔːrm/

behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TOWERnounUS /ˈtaʊər/

a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading IN THE SIGNAL TOWER It seemed an eternity to Dan, speeding hatless, coatless, breathless through the storm, before he spied the red lights on the lowered gates at the crossing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Dashing to the signal tower, he took the steps two at a time.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The small room was almost dark, but he could see Nance kneeling on the floor beside the big gatekeeper.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Is it you?" she cried.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 22 of Calvary Alley by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice holds 151 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 22 of Calvary Alley contain?

Chapter 22 holds 151 sentences of Calvary Alley, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 22 of Calvary Alley by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 151 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 22 of Calvary Alley?

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 22 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 22 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 Calvary Alley

Common questions about reading Calvary Alley by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Calvary Alley?

Yes. All 5863 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9794 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Calvary Alley is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9794, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Calvary Alley take to read?

About 488 minutes of reading across 1173 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Calvary Alley section by section

How to work through Calvary Alley section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Calvary Alley to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Calvary Alley

Words and structures a reader meets early in Calvary Alley, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Never
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary Alley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Guess
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary Alley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Visiting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary Alley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cathedral
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary Alley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.