Chapter 1 of Diligent Dick is here in full — 46 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Diligent Dick is here in full — 46 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
DICK AT HOME. "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby. "He'll make his mark in the world. He's got the true grit." "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
Chapter 1 of Diligent Dick is here in full — 46 sentences across 10 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/9 · 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.
someone who is a detective
From this reading “DICK AT HOME.”
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading “"I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.”
a hard coarse-grained siliceous sandstone
From this reading “He's got the true grit."”
ten 10s
From this reading “"I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.”
attach a tag or label to
From this reading “"He'll make his mark in the world.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading “"I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.”
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading “"I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.”
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading “He's got the true grit."”
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 “"I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.”
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and one thousand
In this reading “"I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.”
a reception held in your own home
In this reading “DICK AT HOME.”
In this reading “"He'll make his mark in the world.”
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 "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading DICK AT HOME.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
a youthful male person
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
someone who is a detective
From this reading DICK AT HOME.
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He's got the true grit."
a hard coarse-grained siliceous sandstone
From this reading He's got the true grit."
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He's got the true grit."
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading DICK AT HOME.
ten 10s
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
engage in
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading "I'd give ten thousand if I had one like him," said the other.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I'D give a hundred dollars if my boy had been here to see Dick," said Mr. Follinsby.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading He's got the true grit."
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading "He'll make his mark in the world.
Chapter 1 of Diligent Dick by Madeline Leslie holds 46 sentences, grouped into 10 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 1 holds 46 sentences of Diligent Dick, unabridged, divided into 10 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Diligent Dick by Madeline Leslie exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 46 sentences, grouped into 10 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 10 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 10 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 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.
Common questions about reading Diligent Dick by Madeline Leslie on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 674 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #71493 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #71493, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 56 minutes of reading across 135 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Diligent Dick section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Diligent Dick 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 Diligent Dick, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
