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Desk and Debit
Desk and Debit

Chapter XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Oliver Optic • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Desk and Debit
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.
After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.
As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.
The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.
The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.
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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 XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of Desk and Debit is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.
Line 2
After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.
/ˈæftər maɪ kəˈtæstrəfi ðə kɔːrs ʌv ðə jɑːt hæd bɪn ˈɔːltərd ənd aɪ faʊnd ðæt ʃiː wɑːz naʊ ˈhedəd tuː ðə ˈnɔːrθwərd/
Line 3
As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.
/æz aɪ reɪzd maɪ hed tuː tʃeɪndʒ maɪ ˈpeɪnfəl pəˈzɪʃən aɪ sɔː ðə iːst koʊst ʌv ðə leɪk nɑːt hæf ə maɪl ˈdɪstənt/
Line 4
The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.
/ðə briːz wɑːz ˈveri ˈdʒentəl ənd ɪt wɑːz ə ˈbjuːtəfəl deɪ/
Line 5
The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.
/ðə sʌn wɑːz ˈʃaɪnɪŋ ˈbraɪtli ənd ðə ˈrɪpəl ʌv ðə klɪr ˈwɔːtərz wɑːz ˈmjuːzɪkəl bʌt aɪ wɑːz nɑːt ɪn ə kənˈdɪʃən tuː ˌenˈdʒɔɪ ðə ˈɡlɔːriz ʌv ðə siːn/

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.

catastrophe noun US /kəˈtæstrəfi/

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading “After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
glories noun US /ˈɡlɔːriz/

plural of “glory” — a state of high honor

From this reading “The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
headed adjective US /ˈhedəd/

having a heading or course in a certain direction

From this reading “After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
marian adjective US /ˈmeriən/

of or relating to or venerating the Virgin Mary

From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
northward adverb US /ˈnɔːrθwərd/

in a northern direction

From this reading “After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ripple noun US /ˈrɪpəl/

a small wave on the surface of a liquid

From this reading “The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
suffers verb US /ˈsʌfərz/

third-person singular of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading “IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yacht noun US /jɑːt/

an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing

From this reading “After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 62

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
alteredadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərd/

changed in form or character without becoming something else

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
breezenounUS /briːz/

a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brightlyadverbUS /ˈbraɪtli/

with brightness

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coastnounUS /koʊst/

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enjoyverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪ/

derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gentleadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentəl/

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gloriesnounUS /ˈɡlɔːriz/

plural of “glory” — a state of high honor

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
headedadjectiveUS /ˈhedəd/

having a heading or course in a certain direction

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The breeze was very gentle, and it was a beautiful day.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
lakenounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MARIANadjectiveUS /ˈmeriən/

of or relating to or venerating the Virgin Mary

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
milenounUS /maɪl/

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MUCHadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
musicaladjectiveUS /ˈmjuːzɪkəl/

characterized by or capable of producing music

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
northwardadverbUS /ˈnɔːrθwərd/

in a northern direction

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
PAINnounUS /peɪn/

a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
painfuladjectiveUS /ˈpeɪnfəl/

causing physical or psychological pain

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PHIL

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

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

Pending verification
positionnounUS /pəˈzɪʃən/

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RESOLUTEadjectiveUS /ˈrezəluːt/

firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ripplenounUS /ˈrɪpəl/

a small wave on the surface of a liquid

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading As I raised my head to change my painful position, I saw the east coast of the lake, not half a mile distant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
shiningadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/

marked by exceptional merit

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SUFFERSverbUS /ˈsʌfərz/

third-person singular of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
VERYadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading The sun was shining brightly, and the ripple of the clear waters was musical; but I was not in a condition to enjoy the glories of the scene.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WHICHpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY RESOLUTE.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yachtnounUS /jɑːt/

an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing

From this reading After my catastrophe, the course of the yacht had been altered, and I found that she was now headed to the northward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 25 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic holds 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 25 of Desk and Debit contain?

Chapter 25 holds 143 sentences of Desk and Debit, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 25 of Desk and Debit?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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.

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

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  3. Listen and tap

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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.