Chapter 7 of Dean Dunham is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Dean Dunham is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
DEAN FINDS A CLEW. Dean was inclined to agree with his companion. The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced. "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould. "I don't know.
Chapter 7 of Dean Dunham is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/24 · 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.
an administrator in charge of a division of a university or college
From this reading “DEAN FINDS A CLEW.”
plural of “find” — a productive insight
From this reading “DEAN FINDS A CLEW.”
United States paleontologist and popularizer of science (1941-2002)
From this reading “"Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.”
a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
From this reading “The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.”
a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading “"Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.”
so unreasonable as to invite derision
From this reading “The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.”
possessive form of “speaker” — someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading “The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.”
being or thrown out of equilibrium
From this reading “The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.”
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.
In this reading “Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.”
have a breach in relations
In this reading “"Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.”
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 DEAN FINDS A CLEW.
be in accord; be in agreement
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
a ball of yarn or cord or thread
From this reading DEAN FINDS A CLEW.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
an administrator in charge of a division of a university or college
From this reading DEAN FINDS A CLEW.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I don't know.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
plural of “find” — a productive insight
From this reading DEAN FINDS A CLEW.
United States paleontologist and popularizer of science (1941-2002)
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I don't know.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I don't know.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
and nothing more
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
so unreasonable as to invite derision
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
possessive form of “speaker” — someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
being or thrown out of equilibrium
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading The story told by his uncle was so preposterous that it could be explained only on the hypothesis that the speaker's mind was unbalanced.
any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Dean was inclined to agree with his companion.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Did you fall out of the wagon, neighbor Dunham?" asked Mr. Gould.
Chapter 7 of Dean Dunham by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 123 sentences, grouped into 25 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 7 holds 123 sentences of Dean Dunham, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Dean Dunham by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 123 sentences, grouped into 25 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 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 25 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 7 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 Dean Dunham by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4654 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55947 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #55947, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 387 minutes of reading across 931 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Dean Dunham section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 38 chapters of Dean Dunham 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 Dean Dunham, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
