Chapter 17 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
Chapter 17 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy. On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety. "Is it really a strike?" Joe asked. "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
Chapter 17 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/38 · 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.
a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
From this reading “"That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.”
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading “IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.”
darkened by clouds
From this reading “IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.”
(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading “"That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.”
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading “On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.”
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading “"Is it really a strike?"”
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading “IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.”
United States film actor who appeared in many films with Katharine Hepburn (1900-1967)
From this reading “IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.”
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 "Is it really a strike?"
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Joe asked.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Is it really a strike?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Is it really a strike?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
darkened by clouds
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.
(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "Is it really a strike?"
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading "Is it really a strike?"
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
United States film actor who appeared in many films with Katharine Hepburn (1900-1967)
From this reading IN BEDFORD Joe Strong looked from the group of sullen, lowering canvasmen to Jim Tracy.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading On the ring-master's face were signs of anxiety.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "That's what they call it," replied the circus owner.
Chapter 17 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze by Vance Barnum holds 190 sentences, grouped into 38 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 190 sentences of Joe Strong on the Trapeze, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 17 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze by Vance Barnum exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 190 sentences, grouped into 38 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 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 38 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 Joe Strong on the Trapeze by Vance Barnum on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3577 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28642 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #28642, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 298 minutes of reading across 716 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Joe Strong on the Trapeze section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 25 chapters of Joe Strong on the Trapeze 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 Joe Strong on the Trapeze, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
