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Happy Jack
Happy Jack

Chapter XXXII · Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of Happy Jack is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Happy Jack
Context Illustration Reading 1/6 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.
Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.
_Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.
To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.
It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.
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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.

Happy Jack

Chapter XXXII · Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of Happy Jack is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.
/ˈhæpi dʒæk ɪz ˈpɜːrfəktli ˈhæpi ˈnevər seɪ ə θɪŋ ɪz soʊ ənˈles juː ˌæbsəˈluːtli noʊ/
Line 2
Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.
/dʒʌst rɪˈmɛm.bər ˈevəri deɪ tuː biː kwaɪt ʃʊr ʌv wʌt juː seɪ/
Line 3
_Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.
Line 4
To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.
/tuː teɪk ə θɪŋ fɔːr ˈɡræntəd ɪz tuː θɪŋk ðæt ɪt ɪz soʊ wɪˈθaʊt ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə ˈtrʌbəl tuː faɪnd aʊt ˈweðər ɪt ɪz ɔːr nɑːt/
Line 5
It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.
/ɪt ɪz æpt nɑːt ˈoʊnli tuː ɡet juː jərˈself ˈɪntuː ˈtrʌbəl bʌt tuː meɪk ˈtrʌbəl fɔːr ˈʌðər ˈpiːpəl æz wel/

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.

absolutely adverb US /ˌæbsəˈluːtli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading “HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.”

apt adjective US /æpt/

(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward

From this reading “It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.”

granted adjective US /ˈɡræntəd/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading “_Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.”

jack noun US /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

From this reading “HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.”

perfectly adverb US /ˈpɜːrfəktli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading “HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.”

taking noun US /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading “_Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.”

trouble noun US /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading “To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.”

Unless conjunction US /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading “HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.”

All words in this reading · 57

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 HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

absolutelyadverbUS /ˌæbsəˈluːtli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

aptadjectiveUS /æpt/

(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

doesn't

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

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

grantedadjectiveUS /ˈɡræntəd/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

HAPPYadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

JACKnounUS /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

NeveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

PERFECTLYadverbUS /ˈpɜːrfəktli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

TakingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

UnlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading To take a thing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the trouble to find out whether it is or not.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading _Happy Jack._ Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know.

yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading It is apt not only to get you yourself into trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well.

Chapter 32 of Happy Jack by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 34 sentences, grouped into 7 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 32 of Happy Jack contain?

Chapter 32 holds 34 sentences of Happy Jack, unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 32 of Happy Jack by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 34 sentences, grouped into 7 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 32 of Happy Jack?

Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 7 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 32 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 32 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 Happy Jack

Common questions about reading Happy Jack by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Happy Jack?

Yes. All 1387 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13355 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Happy Jack is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #13355, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Happy Jack take to read?

About 115 minutes of reading across 278 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Happy Jack section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Happy Jack to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Happy Jack

Words and structures a reader meets early in Happy Jack, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Every
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Future
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Happy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.