Chapter 10 of Cringle and cross-tree is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
Chapter 10 of Cringle and cross-tree is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL. Jack Sanderson was an old sailor. I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk. But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability. If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
Chapter 10 of Cringle and cross-tree is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 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 quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading “But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.”
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
From this reading “I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.”
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading “I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.”
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading “If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.”
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading “Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.”
plural of “stand” — a support or foundation
From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.”
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.”
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.”
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.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
In this reading “I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.”
In this reading “Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.”
In this reading “But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.”
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 But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
Having no one else present.
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
being perceived or observed
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
a human being
From this reading But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural ability.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.
plural of “stand” — a support or foundation
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
precisely as stated
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading If he had let liquor alone, he might have been the master of a vessel.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jack Sanderson was an old sailor.
look attentively
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
at the time that
From this reading I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL STANDS HIS WATCH, AND TAKES HIS TRICK AT THE WHEEL.
Chapter 10 of Cringle and cross-tree by Oliver Optic holds 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 10 holds 126 sentences of Cringle and cross-tree, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 10 of Cringle and cross-tree by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 26 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 10 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 Cringle and cross-tree by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3451 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #71482 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #71482, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 287 minutes of reading across 691 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Cringle and cross-tree section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of Cringle and cross-tree 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 Cringle and cross-tree, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
