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Main Street

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of Main Street is here in full — 462 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Sinclair Lewis • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Main Street

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

Erik stared, straightened.

They greeted each other with “Hello.”

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XXIX Reading 1/92

Main Street

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of Main Street is here in full — 462 sentences across 93 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/92 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

Line 2

She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

Line 3

For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

Line 4

Erik stared, straightened.

Line 5

They greeted each other with “Hello.”

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.

Alone adjective US /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.”

Ancient adjective US /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading “She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.”

All words in this reading · 58

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.

a

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

about

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

afternoon

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

an

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

and

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

asserted

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

at

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

avoid

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

but

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

coming

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

each

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

From this reading They greeted each other with “Hello.”

Erik

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

For

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

God

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

greeted

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

From this reading They greeted each other with “Hello.”

had

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

Hello

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

From this reading They greeted each other with “Hello.”

highwater

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

him

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

Hugh

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

humming

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

in

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

kept

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

made

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

on

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

other

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

From this reading They greeted each other with “Hello.”

railroad

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

rails

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

saw

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

second

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

serenely

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

SHE

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

stared

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

From this reading Erik stared, straightened.

stick

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

straightened

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

From this reading Erik stared, straightened.

striking

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

suit

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

sullenly

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

Sunday

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

talked

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

telegraph

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

the

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

They

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

From this reading They greeted each other with “Hello.”

this

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

to

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

track

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

tramping

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

unreasoningly

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

up

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

Valborg

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

From this reading She saw Erik Valborg coming, in an ancient highwater suit, tramping sullenly and alone, striking at the rails with a stick.

voice

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

walked

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

wanted

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

whose

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

wires

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

From this reading For a second she unreasoningly wanted to avoid him, but she kept on, and she serenely talked about God, whose voice, Hugh asserted, made the humming in the telegraph wires.

with

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

From this reading SHE had walked up the railroad track with Hugh, this Sunday afternoon.

Chapter 29 of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis holds 462 sentences, grouped into 93 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.

What does chapter 29 of Main Street contain?

Chapter 29 holds 462 sentences of Main Street, unabridged, divided into 93 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 29 of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 462 sentences, grouped into 93 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 29 of Main Street?

Work through the 93 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 93 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 29 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 29 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 Main Street

Common questions about reading Main Street by Sinclair Lewis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Main Street?

Yes. All 11763 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #543 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Main Street is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #543, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Main Street take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2353 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Main Street section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 39 chapters of Main Street to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Main Street

Words and structures a reader meets early in Main Street, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mississippi: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Main Street; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Where: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Main Street; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chippewas: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Main Street; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Camped: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Main Street; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.