Chapter 18 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter 18 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED. "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began. "I must acknowledge my own ignorance. I was not aware of it," I replied. "It is so."
Chapter 18 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 185 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/37 · 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.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “"I must acknowledge my own ignorance.”
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading “"Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.”
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading “"Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.”
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading “"Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.”
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading “"I must acknowledge my own ignorance.”
past form of “protest” — utter words of protest
From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.”
plural of “protest” — a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.”
a port city in southern Ireland; famous for glass industry
From this reading “"Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.”
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.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading "I must acknowledge my own ignorance.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading "I must acknowledge my own ignorance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I was not aware of it," I replied.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "I must acknowledge my own ignorance.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I must acknowledge my own ignorance.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I was not aware of it," I replied.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I was not aware of it," I replied.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "I must acknowledge my own ignorance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
past form of “protest” — utter words of protest
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
plural of “protest” — a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading I was not aware of it," I replied.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "It is so."
express a supposition
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was not aware of it," I replied.
a port city in southern Ireland; famous for glass industry
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
in the company of; together with
From this reading IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Phil, you are aware, I suppose, that I am engaged to Miss Collingsby," Mr. Ben Waterford began.
Chapter 18 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic holds 185 sentences, grouped into 37 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 18 holds 185 sentences of Desk and Debit, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 185 sentences, grouped into 37 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 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 37 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 18 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.
