Chapter 25 of Shifting For Himself is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXV
Chapter 25 of Shifting For Himself is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE. Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening. He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit. “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.” Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.
Chapter 25 of Shifting For Himself is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/14 · 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.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading ““Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.””
(superlative of “few” used with count nouns and usually preceded by “the”) quantifier meaning the smallest in number
From this reading “Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.”
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading “GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.”
possessive form of “gilbert” — a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
the production of eggs (especially in birds)
From this reading ““Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.””
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading ““Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.””
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading ““Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.””
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading “GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.”
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.
In this reading ““Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.””
In this reading “GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.”
In this reading “Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.”
In this reading “Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.”
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 GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
a cordial disposition
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.
(superlative of “few” used with count nouns and usually preceded by “the”) quantifier meaning the smallest in number
From this reading Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.
possessive form of “gilbert” — a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.
the production of eggs (especially in birds)
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
Identical; not different.
From this reading Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.
express in words
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading GILBERT IN A TIGHT PLACE.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gilbert called upon the Vivians the same evening.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was received with as much cordiality as on his first visit.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Gilbert told his story in the fewest possible words.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now,” said Mr. Vivian, laying down the evening paper, which he had been reading at Gilbert’s entrance, “tell me how you came to lose your place.”
Chapter 25 of Shifting For Himself by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 25 holds 71 sentences of Shifting For Himself, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 25 of Shifting For Himself by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 15 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 25 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.
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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.
