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Out for Business
Out for Business

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Out for Business is here in full — 146 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Horatio, Jr. Alger • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Out for Business
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HORATIO ALGER, JR.
AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.
AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.
THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.
FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Out for Business

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Out for Business is here in full — 146 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HORATIO ALGER, JR.
Line 2
AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.
Line 3
AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.
Line 4
THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.
/ðə jʌŋ bʊk ˈeɪdʒənt ɔːr fræŋk ˈhɑːrdiz roʊd tuː səkˈses/
Line 5
FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

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.

agent noun US /ˈeɪdʒənt/

an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect

From this reading “THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alger noun US /ˈældʒər/

United States author of inspirational adventure stories for boys; virtue and hard work overcome poverty (1832-1899)

From this reading “HORATIO ALGER, JR.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
boatman noun US /ˈboʊtmən/

someone who drives or rides in a boat

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Hardy's noun US /ˈhɑːrdiz/

possessive form of “hardy” — United States slapstick comedian who played the pompous and overbearing member of the Laurel and Hardy duo who made many films (1892-1957)

From this reading “THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jungle noun US /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/

a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
miner noun US /ˈmaɪnər/

laborer who works in a mine

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pluck verb US /plʌk/

pull or pull out sharply

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rover noun US /ˈroʊvər/

someone who leads a wandering unsettled life

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

BOOK AGENT noun + noun

a book salesman

In this reading “THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.”

278 times in 426,211 chapters
YOUNG MINER adjective + noun

In this reading “AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.”

157 times in 426,211 chapters
AT SCHOOL preposition + noun

In this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.”

10,747 times in 426,211 chapters
IN THE JUNGLE preposition + article + noun counted as “in … jungle”

In this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.”

2,476 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 43

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.

AGENTnounUS /ˈeɪdʒənt/

an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ALGERnounUS /ˈældʒər/

United States author of inspirational adventure stories for boys; virtue and hard work overcome poverty (1832-1899)

From this reading HORATIO ALGER, JR.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ANdeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOATMANnounUS /ˈboʊtmən/

someone who drives or rides in a boat

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOOKnounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOYnounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOYSnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ETC

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Pending verification
ExperienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FALLINGadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FARMverbUS /fɑːrm/

be a farmer; work as a farmer

From this reading FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FORTUNEnounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FrankadjectiveUS /fræŋk/

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Hardy'snounUS /ˈhɑːrdiz/

possessive form of “hardy” — United States slapstick comedian who played the pompous and overbearing member of the Laurel and Hardy duo who made many films (1892-1957)

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HORATIO

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

From this reading HORATIO ALGER, JR.

Pending verification
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IRISHnounUS /ˈaɪrɪʃ/

people of Ireland or of Irish extraction

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JRnounUS /ˈdʒuːnjər/

a son who has the same first name as his father

From this reading HORATIO ALGER, JR.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JUNGLEnounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/

a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LUCKnounUS /lʌk/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MINERnounUS /ˈmaɪnər/

laborer who works in a mine

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Nason's

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

From this reading FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

Pending verification
Nat

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

From this reading FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

Pending verification
OCEANnounUS /ˈoʊʃən/

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ONLYadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OUTadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PLUCKverbUS /plʌk/

pull or pull out sharply

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RoadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ROVERnounUS /ˈroʊvər/

someone who leads a wandering unsettled life

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SCHOOLnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
StrangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading FROM FARM TO FORTUNE; Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SuccessnounUS /səkˈses/

an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

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 AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT; Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WESTnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," "THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
YOUNGadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading AUTHOR OF "FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," "YOUNG MINER," ETC.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of Out for Business by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 146 sentences, grouped into 30 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 1 of Out for Business contain?

Chapter 1 holds 146 sentences of Out for Business, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Out for Business by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 146 sentences, grouped into 30 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 1 of Out for Business?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Out for Business

Common questions about reading Out for Business by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Out for Business?

Yes. All 4464 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54737 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Out for Business is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #54737, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Out for Business take to read?

About 372 minutes of reading across 893 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Out for Business section by section

How to work through Out for Business section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Out for Business 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 Out for Business

Words and structures a reader meets early in Out for Business, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Horatio
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Out for Business; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Alger
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Out for Business; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Out for Business; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Falling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Out for Business; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.