Chapter 20 of Joe the Hotel Boy is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter XX
Chapter 20 of Joe the Hotel Boy is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
ATTACKED IN THE DARK. “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following. “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.” “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero. “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
Chapter 20 of Joe the Hotel Boy is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/24 · 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.
past form of “attack” — launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
From this reading “ATTACKED IN THE DARK.”
a fractional monetary unit of several countries
From this reading ““I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.”
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading ““I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.””
a feeling of liking for another person; enjoyment in their company
From this reading ““I did it only out of friendliness to you.”
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading ““I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.”
the state of being without a flaw or defect
From this reading ““Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.”
a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
From this reading ““Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.”
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading ““Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.”
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 don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
past form of “attack” — launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
From this reading ATTACKED IN THE DARK.
a fractional monetary unit of several countries
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading ATTACKED IN THE DARK.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
a feeling of liking for another person; enjoyment in their company
From this reading “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ATTACKED IN THE DARK.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
and nothing more
From this reading “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “I did it only out of friendliness to you.
the state of being without a flaw or defect
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ATTACKED IN THE DARK.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
a source of difficulty
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing,” answered our hero.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading “Joe, the plot worked to perfection!” said Felix Gussing, on the day following.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble.”
Chapter 20 of Joe the Hotel Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 121 sentences, grouped into 25 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 20 holds 121 sentences of Joe the Hotel Boy, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 20 of Joe the Hotel Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 25 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 20 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 the Hotel Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3877 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #528 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #528, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 323 minutes of reading across 776 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Joe the Hotel Boy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 30 chapters of Joe the Hotel Boy 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 the Hotel Boy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
