Chapter 20 of The Errand Boy is here in full — 110 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 Errand Boy is here in full — 110 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“THEY MET BY CHANCE.” “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously. “I was,” answered Philip. “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully. “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
Chapter 20 of The Errand Boy is here in full — 110 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/22 · 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 verbal act of requesting
From this reading ““Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.”
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading ““Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.”
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading ““Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.”
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading ““Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.”
violating or tending to violate or offend against
From this reading ““Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.”
United States jazz musician who influenced the style of Louis Armstrong (1885-1938)
From this reading ““Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.”
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading ““I was,” answered Philip.”
incited, especially deliberately, to anger
From this reading ““Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.”
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.
later than; following
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “I was,” answered Philip.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “THEY MET BY CHANCE.”
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading “THEY MET BY CHANCE.”
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I was,” answered Philip.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading “THEY MET BY CHANCE.”
violating or tending to violate or offend against
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
United States jazz musician who influenced the style of Louis Armstrong (1885-1938)
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading “I was,” answered Philip.
incited, especially deliberately, to anger
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
on the contrary
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “THEY MET BY CHANCE.”
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
which person or people
From this reading “Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?” demanded Alonzo superciliously.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes,” answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Oh! it's you, is it?” said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
Chapter 20 of The Errand Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 110 sentences, grouped into 22 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 20 holds 110 sentences of The Errand Boy, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 20 of The Errand Boy by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 110 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 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.
