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Now or Never
Now or Never

Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of Now or Never is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Oliver Optic • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Now or Never
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.
Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.
Bobby woke with a start, and sprang to his feet.
For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.
He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.
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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.

Now or Never

Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of Now or Never is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.
/ɪn wɪtʃ ˈbɑːbi hæz ə ˈneroʊ ɪˈskeɪp ənd ɡoʊz tuː siː wɪð sæm reɪ/
Line 2
Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.
Line 3
Bobby woke with a start, and sprang to his feet.
/ˈbɑːbi woʊk wɪð ə stɑːrt ənd spræŋ tuː hɪz fiːt/
Line 4
For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.
/fɔːr ə ˈmoʊmənt hiː dɪd nɑːt ˈriːəlaɪz wer hiː wɑːz ɔːr rɪˈmɛm.bər ðə ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ ˈɪnsədənts ʌv ðə ˈpriːviəs ˈiːvnɪŋ/
Line 5
He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.
/hiː felt riˈfreʃt baɪ hɪz diːp ˈslʌmbər ənd keɪm aʊt ʌv ɪt æz ˈvɪɡərəs æz ðoʊ hiː hæd slept ɪn hɪz bed æt hoʊm/

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.

bobby noun US /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading “IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
exciting adjective US /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/

creating or arousing excitement

From this reading “For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
extremity noun US /ekˈstreməti/

an external body part that projects from the body

From this reading “Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
incidents noun US /ˈɪnsədənts/

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading “For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pilgrim noun US /ˈpɪlɡrəm/

someone who journeys in foreign lands

From this reading “Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
refreshed adjective US /riˈfreʃt/

with restored energy

From this reading “He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sealed adjective US /siːld/

established irrevocably

From this reading “Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slumber noun US /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading “Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 70

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 IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOBBYnounUS /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ESCAPEnounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
excitingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/

creating or arousing excitement

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
extremitynounUS /ekˈstreməti/

an external body part that projects from the body

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Bobby woke with a start, and sprang to his feet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GOESnounUS /ɡoʊz/

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gratefuladjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtfəl/

feeling or showing gratitude

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HASauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heavensnounUS /ˈhevənz/

the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
incidentsnounUS /ˈɪnsədənts/

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
matin

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

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Pending verification
momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NARROWverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pilgrimnounUS /ˈpɪlɡrəm/

someone who journeys in foreign lands

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
previousadjectiveUS /ˈpriːviəs/

just preceding something else in time or order

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RAYnounUS /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
realizeverbUS /ˈriːəlaɪz/

be fully aware or cognizant of

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
refreshedadjectiveUS /riˈfreʃt/

with restored energy

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora curated lexicon
risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SAMnounUS /sæm/

a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SEAnounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sealedadjectiveUS /siːld/

established irrevocably

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sensesnounUS /ˈsensɪz/

plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sleptverbUS /slept/

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
songnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sprangverbUS /spræŋ/

inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading Bobby woke with a start, and sprang to his feet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Bobby woke with a start, and sprang to his feet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sungnounUS /sʌŋ/

the imperial dynasty of China from 960 to 1279; noted for art and literature and philosophy

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
vigorousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪɡərəs/

characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity

From this reading He felt refreshed by his deep slumber, and came out of it as vigorous as though he had slept in his bed at home.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Nature was kind to the little pilgrim in his extremity, and kept his senses sealed in grateful slumber till the birds had sung their matin song, and the sun had risen high in the heavens.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading For a moment he did not realize where he was, or remember the exciting incidents of the previous evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WHICHpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading IN WHICH BOBBY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND GOES TO SEA WITH SAM RAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wokeverbUS /woʊk/

inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there

From this reading Bobby woke with a start, and sprang to his feet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 19 of Now or Never by Oliver Optic holds 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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 19 of Now or Never contain?

Chapter 19 holds 181 sentences of Now or Never, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 19 of Now or Never by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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 19 of Now or Never?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 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 19 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 19 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 Now or Never

Common questions about reading Now or Never by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Now or Never?

Yes. All 2766 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14762 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Now or Never is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #14762, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Now or Never take to read?

About 230 minutes of reading across 554 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Now or Never section by section

How to work through Now or Never section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Now or Never

Words and structures a reader meets early in Now or Never, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Bobby
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Now or Never; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fishing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Now or Never; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Catches
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Now or Never; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Horse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Now or Never; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.