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Tony, the Hero
Tony, the Hero

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31 of Tony, the Hero is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tony, the Hero
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.
"Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.
I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.
I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."
"I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tony, the Hero

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31 of Tony, the Hero is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.
Line 2
"Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.
Line 3
I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.
/aɪ hæv ɡɑːt ˈtaɪərd ʌv hoʊˈtel laɪf ənd wɑːnt ə hoʊm/
Line 4
I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."
Line 5
"I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

Learner Dictionary

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.

guardian noun US /ˈɡɑːrdiən/

a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading “TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.”

housekeeping noun US /ˈhaʊskiːpɪŋ/

the work of cleaning and running a house

From this reading “TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.”

modestly adverb US /ˈmɑːdəstli/

with modesty; in a modest manner

From this reading “"I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.”

pictures noun US /ˈpɪktʃərz/

plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading “I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."”

plans noun US /plænz/

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading “"Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.”

settle verb US /ˈsetəl/

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

From this reading “I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."”

social adjective US /ˈsoʊʃəl/

relating to human society and its members

From this reading “I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."”

Spencer noun US /ˈspensər/

English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)

From this reading “"Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

settle down verb + adjective

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

In this reading “I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."”

after dinner preposition + noun

In this reading “"Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.”

got tired verb + adjective counted as “get tired”

In this reading “I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.”

UP HOUSEKEEPING adjective + noun

In this reading “TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.”

SET UP verb + adjective

set up or found

In this reading “TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.”

All words in this reading · 56

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/

filled with fear or apprehension

From this reading "I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/

a pair who associate with one another

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

dinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

enjoyverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪ/

derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/

having or given a form or shape

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading "I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

GUARDIANnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdiən/

a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

handsomely-furnished

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

HOUSEKEEPINGnounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpɪŋ/

the work of cleaning and running a house

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

modestlyadverbUS /ˈmɑːdəstli/

with modesty; in a modest manner

From this reading "I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading "I am afraid you will get tired of me, Mr. Spencer," said Tony, modestly.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/

used when we are both doing the action and receiving it

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

picturesnounUS /ˈpɪktʃərz/

plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

plansnounUS /plænz/

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

roomsnounUS /ruːmz/

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

seekverbUS /siːk/

try to get or reach

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

SETverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

settleverbUS /ˈsetəl/

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

socialadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊʃəl/

relating to human society and its members

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

SpencernounUS /ˈspensər/

English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading I have got tired of hotel life, and want a home.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

TONY

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

UPadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading TONY AND HIS GUARDIAN SET UP HOUSEKEEPING.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I shall seek a couple of handsomely-furnished rooms up town, make it social and pleasant with books and pictures, and we will settle down and enjoy ourselves."

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Now, Tony," said George Spencer, after dinner, "I want to tell you what plans I have formed for you and myself.

Chapter 31 of Tony, the Hero by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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.

What does chapter 31 of Tony, the Hero contain?

Chapter 31 holds 134 sentences of Tony, the Hero, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Tony, the Hero by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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.

How do I study chapter 31 of Tony, the Hero?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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.

Can chapter 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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.

Questions about reading Tony, the Hero

Common questions about reading Tony, the Hero by Horatio, Jr. Alger on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tony, the Hero?

Yes. All 6147 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59904 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tony, the Hero is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59904, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tony, the Hero take to read?

About 512 minutes of reading across 1230 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tony, the Hero section by section

How to work through Tony, the Hero section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Tony, the Hero to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Tony, the Hero

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tony, the Hero, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Https
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tony, the Hero; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Brave
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tony, the Hero; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Boy's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tony, the Hero; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Adventures
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tony, the Hero; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.