Chapter 10 of The Errand Boy is here in full — 56 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
Chapter 10 of The Errand Boy is here in full — 56 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Phil CALLS ON MR. PITKIN. PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination. He had not far to look. On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
Chapter 10 of The Errand Boy is here in full — 56 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/11 · 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 structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading “On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:”
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading “Phil CALLS ON MR.”
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading “PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.”
impressive in appearance
From this reading “PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.”
the literary culture
From this reading “On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:”
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading “PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.”
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading “PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.”
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
From this reading “PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.”
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.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading Phil CALLS ON MR.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He had not far to look.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
impressive in appearance
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
the literary culture
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He had not far to look.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Phil CALLS ON MR.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had not far to look.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Phil CALLS ON MR.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Phil CALLS ON MR.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PITKIN.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
cut with a saw
From this reading On the front of the building he saw in large letters the sign:
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading PHIL paused before an imposing business structure, and looked up to see if he could see the sign that would show him he had reached his destination.
Chapter 10 of The Errand Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 56 sentences, grouped into 12 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 10 holds 56 sentences of The Errand Boy, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 10 of The Errand Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 56 sentences, grouped into 12 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 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 12 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 10 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 Errand Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4318 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #462 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #462, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 359 minutes of reading across 864 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Errand Boy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Errand 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 Errand Boy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
