Chapter 24 of Strong and Steady is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIV
Chapter 24 of Strong and Steady is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SLIPPERY DICK. It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly. This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life. But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction. He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
Chapter 24 of Strong and Steady is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 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.
a convincing explanation that reveals basic causes
From this reading “He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.”
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading “But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.”
doubt about someone's honesty
From this reading “It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.”
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
From this reading “But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.”
a unit of instruction
From this reading “This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.”
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading “SLIPPERY DICK.”
by bad luck
From this reading “This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.”
possessive form of “walter” — German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading “It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.”
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 “It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.”
In this reading “He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.”
In this reading “But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.”
keep in mind for attention or consideration
In this reading “He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.”
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 It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
a convincing explanation that reveals basic causes
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
having fair knowledge of
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
how long something has existed
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
a youthful male person
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
someone who is a detective
From this reading SLIPPERY DICK.
doubt about someone's honesty
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
divisible by two
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
a unit of instruction
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
something that is lost
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
not any; not one
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading SLIPPERY DICK.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
by bad luck
From this reading This lesson unfortunately is learned later in life.
possessive form of “walter” — German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He could think of no other way of accounting for his loss.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It is not natural for a boy of Walter's age to distrust those with whom he becomes acquainted even slightly.
the words that are spoken
From this reading But the words of his fellow-traveller inspired him with conviction.
Chapter 24 of Strong and Steady by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 150 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.
Chapter 24 holds 150 sentences of Strong and Steady, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 24 of Strong and Steady by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 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.
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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 24 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 Strong and Steady by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4443 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55098 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #55098, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 370 minutes of reading across 889 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Strong and Steady section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 37 chapters of Strong and Steady 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 Strong and Steady, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
