Chapter 32 of Tom, The Bootblack is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXII
Chapter 32 of Tom, The Bootblack is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AN UNWELCOME RETURN. "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman. "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute? He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger. I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
Chapter 32 of Tom, The Bootblack is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 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 cruelly rapacious person
From this reading “"What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?”
a man who drives a coach (or carriage)
From this reading “"I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.”
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading “"I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.”
an opaque form of quartz; red or yellow or brown or dark green in color; used for ornamentation or as a gemstone
From this reading “"What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?”
an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading “I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.”
pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
From this reading “I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.”
displeasing to the senses
From this reading “"What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?”
not welcome; not giving pleasure or received with pleasure
From this reading “AN UNWELCOME RETURN.”
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.
In this reading “He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.”
In this reading “He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.”
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 He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN UNWELCOME RETURN.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
eagerly desirous
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
a youthful male person
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
terminate
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
a man who drives a coach (or carriage)
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
an opaque form of quartz; red or yellow or brown or dark green in color; used for ornamentation or as a gemstone
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
by chance
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
not any; not one
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
on the contrary
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading AN UNWELCOME RETURN.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading I ain't sure but I'd rather my frind, Pat Murphy, would break his neck than mysilf.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
not welcome; not giving pleasure or received with pleasure
From this reading AN UNWELCOME RETURN.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What made Master Jasper so anxious to have him ride the ugly brute?
at the time that
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "I wish I know'd the boy would come to no harm," thought John, the coachman.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wouldn't trust his own neck, but maybe it makes a difference when another's is in danger.
Chapter 32 of Tom, The Bootblack by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 32 holds 125 sentences of Tom, The Bootblack, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 32 of Tom, The Bootblack by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 25 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 32 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, The Bootblack by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4823 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26355 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #26355, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 401 minutes of reading across 965 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tom, The Bootblack section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 37 chapters of Tom, The Bootblack 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, The Bootblack, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
