Chapter 1 of Two Boys of the Battleship is here in full — 120 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Two Boys of the Battleship is here in full — 120 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC. 12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
Chapter 1 of Two Boys of the Battleship is here in full — 120 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/24 · 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 steerable self-propelled aircraft
From this reading “For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.”
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading “Cloth.”
a hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback
From this reading “For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.”
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading “For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.”
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading “Illustrated.”
plural of “partner” — a person's partner in marriage
From this reading “For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.”
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading “For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.”
United States composer and music critic (1885-1966)
From this reading “For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.”
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.
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 12mo.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
a steerable self-propelled aircraft
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
a youthful male person
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading Cloth.
a hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
the act of acquiring something
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading Illustrated.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
an indefinitely short time
From this reading 12mo.
a boy who delivers newspapers
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
and nothing more
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
plural of “partner” — a person's partner in marriage
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
express in words
From this reading “Say, Frank, it’s certainly getting pretty bad; isn’t it?”
United States composer and music critic (1885-1966)
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
male cat
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading For the Honor of Uncle Sam AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT,” “COWBOY DAVE,” ETC.
Chapter 1 of Two Boys of the Battleship by Frank V. Webster holds 120 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 1 holds 120 sentences of Two Boys of the Battleship, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Two Boys of the Battleship by Frank V. Webster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 120 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 1 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 Two Boys of the Battleship by Frank V. Webster on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2899 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36323 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #36323, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 241 minutes of reading across 580 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Two Boys of the Battleship section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 25 chapters of Two Boys of the Battleship 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 Two Boys of the Battleship, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
