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Desk and Debit
Desk and Debit

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 115 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.
AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.
WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Desk and Debit

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 115 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.
/ðə ˈʌpwərd ənd ˈɔːnwərd ˈsɪriz desk ənd ˈdebɪt ɔːr ðə kəˈtæstrəfiz ʌv ə klɜːrk/
Line 2
AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.
Line 3
WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.
/wɪð ˈfɔːrˈtiːn ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/
Line 4
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Line 5
ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

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.

catastrophes noun US /kəˈtæstrəfiz/

plural of “catastrophe” — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading “_THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.”

Congress noun US /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/

the legislature of the United States government

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.”

debit noun US /ˈdebɪt/

an accounting entry acknowledging sums that are owing

From this reading “_THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.”

foundry noun US /ˈfaʊndri/

factory where metal castings are produced

From this reading “ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.”

illustrations noun US /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading “WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.”

Librarian noun US /laɪˈbreriːən/

a professional person trained in library science and engaged in library services

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.”

starry adjective US /ˈstɑːriː/

abounding with or resembling stars

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.”

stereotype noun US /ˈsteriətaɪp/

a conventional or formulaic conception or image

From this reading “ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.”

All words in this reading · 51

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.

10

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

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

1871

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

ABROADadverbUS /əˈbrɔːd/

to or in a foreign country

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

accordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

ActverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

ADAMSnounUS /ˈædəmz/

American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

AMERICAnounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

ARMYnounUS /ˈɑːrmi/

a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

BOAT-CLUB

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

BOSTONnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

CATASTROPHESnounUS /kəˈtæstrəfiz/

plural of “catastrophe” — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

CLERKnounUS /klɜːrk/

an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

CongressnounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/

the legislature of the United States government

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

DEBITnounUS /ˈdebɪt/

an accounting entry acknowledging sums that are owing

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

DESKnounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

ELECTROTYPED

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

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

EnteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

ETC

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

FLAGnounUS /flæɡ/

emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

FOUNDRYnounUS /ˈfaʊndri/

factory where metal castings are produced

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

FOURTEENnounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one

From this reading WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.

ILLUSTRATIONSnounUS /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

LAKE-SHORE

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

LanenounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

LibrariannounUS /laɪˈbreriːən/

a professional person trained in library science and engaged in library services

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

NAVYnounUS /ˈneɪvi/

an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

OfficenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

ONWARDadverbUS /ˈɔːnwərd/

forward in time or order or degree

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

SERIESnounUS /ˈsɪriz/

similar things placed in order or happening one after another

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

SpringnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

STARRYadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːriː/

abounding with or resembling stars

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

STEREOTYPEnounUS /ˈsteriətaɪp/

a conventional or formulaic conception or image

From this reading ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane.

STORIESnounUS /ˈstɔːriz/

plural of “story” — 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 AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

TnounUS /tiː/

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

UPWARDadjectiveUS /ˈʌpwərd/

directed up

From this reading _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.

WashingtonnounUS /ˈwɑːʃɪŋtən/

the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

WILLIAM

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

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.

WOODVILLE

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

YOUNGadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.

Chapter 1 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic holds 115 sentences, grouped into 23 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 1 of Desk and Debit contain?

Chapter 1 holds 115 sentences of Desk and Debit, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 115 sentences, grouped into 23 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 1 of Desk and Debit?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Desk and Debit

Common questions about reading Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Desk and Debit?

Yes. All 4190 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24544 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Desk and Debit is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24544, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Desk and Debit take to read?

About 349 minutes of reading across 838 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Desk and Debit section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 28 chapters of Desk and Debit 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 Desk and Debit

Words and structures a reader meets early in Desk and Debit, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Upward
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Desk and Debit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Onward
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Desk and Debit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Desk and Debit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Debit
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Desk and Debit; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.