Chapter 4 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED. I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise. "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady. "Put me out of the car! He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
Chapter 4 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 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.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.”
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading “I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.”
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading “"Put me out of the car!”
make a compromise; arrive at a compromise
From this reading “I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.”
the person who leads a musical group
From this reading “I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.”
your parents
From this reading “He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."”
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading “He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."”
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading “I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.”
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 He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading "Put me out of the car!
being attentive to women like an ideal knight
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
make a compromise; arrive at a compromise
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
the person who leads a musical group
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
at any time
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
opinion or judgment
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
your parents
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Put me out of the car!
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
not any; not one
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Put me out of the car!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "Put me out of the car!
on the contrary
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading I thought that the conductor was rather hard on the old lady, though I was willing to allow that his duty admitted of no compromise.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He's a mean man, and I hate mean folks wus'n pizen."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Did you ever hear the like on't?" exclaimed the old lady.
Chapter 4 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic holds 172 sentences, grouped into 35 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 4 holds 172 sentences of Desk and Debit, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 172 sentences, grouped into 35 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 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 35 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 4 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 Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4190 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24544 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #24544, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 349 minutes of reading across 838 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Desk and Debit section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 28 chapters of Desk and Debit 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 Desk and Debit, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
