Chapter 17 of Jack's Ward 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 XVII
Chapter 17 of Jack's Ward is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida. It seems as if half the family were gone." "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife. "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it." "Not lose it," corrected Jack.
Chapter 17 of Jack's Ward 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.
United States industrialist who built the first American locomotive; founded Cooper Union in New York City to offer free courses in the arts and sciences (1791-1883)
From this reading “SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.”
having something undesirable neutralized
From this reading “"Not lose it," corrected Jack.”
an agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank
From this reading “SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.”
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading “"Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."”
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading “"Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.”
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading “SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.”
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading “SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.”
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading “SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.”
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 "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
a young person of either sex
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
United States industrialist who built the first American locomotive; founded Cooper Union in New York City to offer free courses in the arts and sciences (1791-1883)
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
having something undesirable neutralized
From this reading "Not lose it," corrected Jack.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
a social unit living together
From this reading It seems as if half the family were gone."
destroyed or killed
From this reading It seems as if half the family were gone."
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It seems as if half the family were gone."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
an agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It seems as if half the family were gone."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
a small worthless amount
From this reading "Not lose it," corrected Jack.
and nothing more
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
no person; not anyone
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Not lose it," corrected Jack.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seems as if half the family were gone."
be seated
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
express in words
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
up to a particular time
From this reading "Nobody can tell how much a child is to them till they lose it."
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It seems as if half the family were gone."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading "Just what I've said to myself twenty times to-day," remarked his wife.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading SUSPENSE "It doesn't, somehow, seem natural," said the cooper, as he took his seat at the tea table, "to sit down without Ida.
Chapter 17 of Jack's Ward 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 17 holds 97 sentences of Jack's Ward, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 17 of Jack's Ward 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 17 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 Jack's Ward by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3966 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10729 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #10729, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 330 minutes of reading across 794 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Jack's Ward section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of Jack's Ward 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 Jack's Ward, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
