Chapter 21 of Shifting For Himself is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of Shifting For Himself is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
ALPHONSO JONES. “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning. “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck. Is there anything up?” “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
Chapter 21 of Shifting For Himself is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/16 · 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.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading ““Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.”
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading ““Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.”
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading ““Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.”
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading ““Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.”
United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)
From this reading “ALPHONSO JONES.”
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading ““Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.”
concerned with actual use or practice
From this reading ““Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.”
coming after or following
From this reading ““Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.”
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.
a prank or trick played on a person (especially one intended to make the victim appear foolish)
In this reading ““Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.”
an unfortunate state resulting from unfavorable outcomes
In this reading ““Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.”
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 “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ALPHONSO JONES.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
any thing at all
From this reading Is there anything up?”
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
the act of departing
From this reading “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Is there anything up?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)
From this reading ALPHONSO JONES.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
participate in games or sport
From this reading “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
concerned with actual use or practice
From this reading “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
coming after or following
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Is there anything up?”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Is there anything up?”
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “Yes; we are going to play a practical joke on Alphonso Jones.
at the time that
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes,” said Gilbert; “I always enjoy fun, and especially now when I have lost my place, since it will help me to forget my bad luck.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Would you like a little fun this evening, Gilbert?” asked his room-mate, on the succeeding morning.
Chapter 21 of Shifting For Himself by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 80 sentences, grouped into 16 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 21 holds 80 sentences of Shifting For Himself, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of Shifting For Himself by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 80 sentences, grouped into 16 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 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 16 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 21 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 Shifting For Himself by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4606 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55598 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #55598, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 383 minutes of reading across 922 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Shifting For Himself section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of Shifting For Himself 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 Shifting For Himself, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
