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Invaders from the Infinite
Invaders from the Infinite

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Invaders from the Infinite is here in full — 111 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Invaders from the Infinite
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.
Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.
"One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."
"Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."
"I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Invaders from the Infinite

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Invaders from the Infinite is here in full — 111 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.
Line 2
Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.
/ˌɪnˈdiːd ðeɪ mʌst ɔːlˈredi ɪɡˈzɪst ɑːn ɜːrθ/
Line 3
"One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."
/wʌn θɪŋ ðæt ˈpʌzəlz miː hiː ˈkɑːmentəd ɪz wʌt wʊd ˈhæpən ɪf wiː wɜːr tuː ɡoʊ daʊn naʊ ənd siː aʊərˈselvz/
Line 4
"Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."
Line 5
"I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

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.

commented verb US /ˈkɑːmentəd/

past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on

From this reading “"One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."”

Earth noun US /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading “Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.”

exist verb US /ɪɡˈzɪst/

have an existence, be extant

From this reading “Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.”

getting noun US /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading “HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.”

happen verb US /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading “"One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."”

ourselves pronoun US /aʊərˈselvz/

used when we are both doing the action and receiving it

From this reading “"One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."”

pointed adjective US /ˈpɔɪntɪd/

having a point

From this reading “"Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."”

puzzles noun US /ˈpʌzəlz/

plural of “puzzle” — a particularly baffling problem that is said to have a correct solution

From this reading “"One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."”

All words in this reading · 62

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.

AGAINadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

answerverbUS /ˈænsər/

react verbally

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

Arcot

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

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

can't

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

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

commentedverbUS /ˈkɑːmentəd/

past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

didn't

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

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

don't

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

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

EarthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.

EitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

existverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪst/

have an existence, be extant

From this reading Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

HOMEnounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

Morey

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

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Indeed, they must already exist on Earth.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/

used when we are both doing the action and receiving it

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

pointedadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪntɪd/

having a point

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

puzzlesnounUS /ˈpʌzəlz/

plural of “puzzle” — a particularly baffling problem that is said to have a correct solution

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

time-rate

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

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading "I think the answer is that nothing can exist two times at the same time-rate," said Arcot.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading "Either we can't or we don't want to do it," pointed out Morey, "because we didn't."

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading HOME AGAIN They were getting very near their own time, Arcot felt.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading "One thing that puzzles me," he commented, "is what would happen if we were to go down now, and see ourselves."

Chapter 16 of Invaders from the Infinite by John W., Jr. (John Wood) Campbell holds 111 sentences, grouped into 23 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 16 of Invaders from the Infinite contain?

Chapter 16 holds 111 sentences of Invaders from the Infinite, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Invaders from the Infinite by John W., Jr. (John Wood) Campbell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 111 sentences, grouped into 23 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 16 of Invaders from the Infinite?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Invaders from the Infinite

Common questions about reading Invaders from the Infinite by John W., Jr. (John Wood) Campbell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Invaders from the Infinite?

Yes. All 4051 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20154 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Invaders from the Infinite is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20154, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Invaders from the Infinite take to read?

About 337 minutes of reading across 811 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Invaders from the Infinite section by section

How to work through Invaders from the Infinite section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of Invaders from the Infinite 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 Invaders from the Infinite

Words and structures a reader meets early in Invaders from the Infinite, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Evans
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Invaders from the Infinite; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pilot
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Invaders from the Infinite; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rocket
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Invaders from the Infinite; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Squad
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Invaders from the Infinite; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.