Chapter 2 of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them. “What’s all this mystery?” “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack. “You certainly seem excited enough. What’s it all about?”
Chapter 2 of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/23 · 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.
plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading ““Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.”
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading ““Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.”
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading ““Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.”
a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
From this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
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.
work that is left incomplete
In this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
In this reading “LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.”
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 LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading What’s it all about?”
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading “You certainly seem excited enough.
plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading “You certainly seem excited enough.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading “You certainly seem excited enough.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
brought together in one place
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
a small worthless amount
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
a form of address for a man
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading “What’s all this mystery?”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “You certainly seem excited enough.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “What’s all this mystery?”
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s all this mystery?”
at the time that
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading LOOSE ENDS OF A PLOT “Now, what is it, Frank?” asked Mr. Temple, when he and the three chums were all gathered in their staterooms with the door locked behind them.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Yes, what is it you overheard out there on the observation platform?” demanded Jack.
Chapter 2 of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty by Gerald Breckenridge holds 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 2 holds 116 sentences of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty by Gerald Breckenridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 24 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 2 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 Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty by Gerald Breckenridge on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3456 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39574 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #39574, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 288 minutes of reading across 692 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty 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 Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
