Chapter 24 of Grit is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIV
Chapter 24 of Grit is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
MRS. BRANDON IS MYSTIFIED. When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars. "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot. It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."
Chapter 24 of Grit is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/19 · 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 drives or rides in a boat
From this reading “"I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.”
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.”
a hard coarse-grained siliceous sandstone
From this reading “When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.”
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading “It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."”
totally perplexed and mixed up
From this reading “BRANDON IS MYSTIFIED.”
as might be expected
From this reading “When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.”
plural of “particular” — a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
From this reading “When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.”
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading “"I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.”
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 should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.”
In this reading “It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."”
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 When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
someone who drives or rides in a boat
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BRANDON IS MYSTIFIED.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
the act of departing
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
a hard coarse-grained siliceous sandstone
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading BRANDON IS MYSTIFIED.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading MRS.
totally perplexed and mixed up
From this reading BRANDON IS MYSTIFIED.
as might be expected
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
plural of “particular” — a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading It is a secret mission, and the secret is not mine."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
express in words
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
at the time that
From this reading When Grit explained to his mother that he was going away for a day or two on a journey, she was naturally surprised, and asked for particulars.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "I should like to tell you, mother," said the young boatman, "but there are reasons why I cannot.
Chapter 24 of Grit by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 97 sentences, grouped into 20 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 24 holds 97 sentences of Grit, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 24 of Grit by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 97 sentences, grouped into 20 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 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 20 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 24 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 Grit by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4300 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54195 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #54195, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 358 minutes of reading across 860 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Grit section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of Grit 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 Grit, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
