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Off on a Comet! A Journey Through Planetary Space
Off on a Comet! A Journey Through Planetary Space

Chapter XXXIV · The Bowels of the Comet

Cover illustration for Off on a Comet! A Journey Through Planetary Space
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.
The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.
Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.
But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.
In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.
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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.

Off on a Comet! A Journey Through Planetary Space

Chapter XXXIV · The Bowels of the Comet

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.
Line 2
The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.
Line 3
Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.
Line 4
But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.
Line 5
In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.”

Amount verb US /əˈmaʊnt/

to reach or total a particular quantity or value

From this reading “But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.”

Anyone pronoun US /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading “Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.”

Body noun US /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.”

Dead noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.”

Entirely noun US /ˈentirely/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.”

Exposed adjective US /ɪkˈspəʊzd/

left open to danger or view left open to danger or public view

From this reading “The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.”

Hither adverb US /ˈhɪðər/

an old word meaning “to this place”

From this reading “In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.”

All words in this reading · 79

Every word is available to listen to. 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 But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

air

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

allow

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

amountverbUS /əˈmaʊnt/

to reach or total a particular quantity or value

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

anyonepronounUS /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

awhile

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

become

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

bodynounUS /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

certain

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

chances

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

cold

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

companions

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

deadnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

degree

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

dying

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

enough

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

entirelynounUS /ˈentirely/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

exposedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspəʊzd/

left open to danger or view left open to danger or public view

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

extremities

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

falling

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

Far

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

forebodings

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

future

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

galleries

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

glad

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

gloomy

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

hall

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

heart

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

heat

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/

an old word meaning “to this place”

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

icicles

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

intense

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

interior

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

like

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

man

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

moisture

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

more

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

mountain

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

night

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

now

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

opening

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

outer

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

quickly

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

rapidly

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

remain

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

resolved

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

retains

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

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

retreat

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

Servadac

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

soon

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

speculating

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

spent

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

temperature

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But the mountain was like the body of a dying man, that retains awhile a certain amount of heat at the heart after the extremities have become cold and dead.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

there

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

too

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

unendurable

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

walls

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

From this reading Far too intense was the cold to allow anyone to remain at the opening, and the moisture on the walls soon resolved itself into icicles.

warmth

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading In the more interior galleries there was still a certain degree of warmth, and hither Servadac and his companions were glad enough to retreat.

whole

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

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The whole night was spent in speculating, with gloomy forebodings, upon the chances of the future.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The temperature of the hall, now entirely exposed to the outer air, was rapidly falling, and would quickly become unendurable.