Chapter 20 of The Erie Train Boy is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XX
Chapter 20 of The Erie Train Boy is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A FRIEND IN NEED. Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort. "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered. "I think I can do without further assistance." "Excuse me for doubting it.
Chapter 20 of The Erie Train Boy is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/21 · 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.
the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading “"I think I can do without further assistance."”
marked by or given to doubt
From this reading “"Excuse me for doubting it.”
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading “Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.”
accept an excuse for
From this reading “"Excuse me for doubting it.”
past form of “falter” — be unsure or weak
From this reading “"I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.”
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading “"I think I can do without further assistance."”
freed from illness or injury
From this reading “Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.”
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading “Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.”
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 A FRIEND IN NEED.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading "I think I can do without further assistance."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I think I can do without further assistance."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I think I can do without further assistance."
marked by or given to doubt
From this reading "Excuse me for doubting it.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
accept an excuse for
From this reading "Excuse me for doubting it.
past form of “falter” — be unsure or weak
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Excuse me for doubting it.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading "I think I can do without further assistance."
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Excuse me for doubting it.
for more time
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Excuse me for doubting it.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading Ruth Patton recovered herself by a great effort.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
term of address for a man
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think I can do without further assistance."
a source of difficulty
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading "I think I can do without further assistance."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I won't trouble you any longer, sir," she faltered.
Chapter 20 of The Erie Train Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 107 sentences, grouped into 22 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 20 holds 107 sentences of The Erie Train Boy, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 20 of The Erie Train Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 107 sentences, grouped into 22 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 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 22 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 20 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 The Erie Train Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4563 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26075 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #26075, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 380 minutes of reading across 913 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Erie Train Boy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 38 chapters of The Erie Train Boy 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 The Erie Train Boy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
