Chapter 21 of Tom Swift in the City of Gold is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of Tom Swift in the City of Gold is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it. "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder. "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!" "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head. "I guess we'll have to leave it here.
Chapter 21 of Tom Swift in the City of Gold is here in full — 71 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/14 · 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.
large tough nonrigid bag filled with gas or heated air
From this reading “"We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.”
a digital tape recording of sound
From this reading “"An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.”
kill in large numbers
From this reading “"An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.”
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading “"I guess we'll have to leave it here.”
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading “"We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.”
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading “"An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.”
a sculpture representing a human or animal
From this reading “TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.”
forced to turn and face attackers
From this reading “TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.”
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 TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
(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 "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
large tough nonrigid bag filled with gas or heated air
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
a digital tape recording of sound
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
kill in large numbers
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
opinion or judgment
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
an officer holding the rank of major or lieutenant colonel or colonel
From this reading "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
coins made of gold
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading "I guess we'll have to leave it here.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I guess we'll have to leave it here.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "I guess we'll have to leave it here.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
go away from a place
From this reading "I guess we'll have to leave it here.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
a sculpture representing a human or animal
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
male cat
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
forced to turn and face attackers
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We never could carry that in the balloon," spoke Tom with a shake of his head.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I guess we'll have to leave it here.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading TRAPPED "Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked around it.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading "An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes big with wonder.
Chapter 21 of Tom Swift in the City of Gold by Victor Appleton holds 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 21 holds 71 sentences of Tom Swift in the City of Gold, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of Tom Swift in the City of Gold by Victor Appleton exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 71 sentences, grouped into 15 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 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 15 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 21 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 Tom Swift in the City of Gold by Victor Appleton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2891 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4711 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #4711, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 240 minutes of reading across 579 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tom Swift in the City of Gold section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of Tom Swift in the City of Gold 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 Tom Swift in the City of Gold, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
