Chapter 29 of Ralph on the Engine is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIX
Chapter 29 of Ralph on the Engine is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly. Ralph quickly decided on his course of action. He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily: "What are you waking a fellow up for?" One held Ralph, another lit a match.
Chapter 29 of Ralph on the Engine is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/29 · 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.
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading “A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.”
past form of “drawl” — lengthen and slow down or draw out
From this reading “He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:”
with resolute determination
From this reading “A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.”
provided with artificial light
From this reading “One held Ralph, another lit a match.”
in a sleepy manner
From this reading “He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:”
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading “He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:”
Risen from sleep; conscious.
From this reading “"What are you waking a fellow up for?"”
past form of “yawn” — utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading “He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading Ralph quickly decided on his course of action.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading One held Ralph, another lit a match.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Ralph quickly decided on his course of action.
recognizable; marked
From this reading Ralph quickly decided on his course of action.
past form of “drawl” — lengthen and slow down or draw out
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
a boy or man
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
with resolute determination
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading One held Ralph, another lit a match.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Ralph quickly decided on his course of action.
the act of retaining something
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
provided with artificial light
From this reading One held Ralph, another lit a match.
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading One held Ralph, another lit a match.
the force of workers available
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Ralph quickly decided on his course of action.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
with speed
From this reading Ralph quickly decided on his course of action.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
in a sleepy manner
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A PRISONER The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
Risen from sleep; conscious.
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
past form of “yawn” — utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What are you waking a fellow up for?"
Chapter 29 of Ralph on the Engine by Allen Chapman holds 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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 29 holds 149 sentences of Ralph on the Engine, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 29 of Ralph on the Engine by Allen Chapman exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 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 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.
Common questions about reading Ralph on the Engine by Allen Chapman on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3777 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28292 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #28292, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 314 minutes of reading across 756 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Ralph on the Engine section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 31 chapters of Ralph on the Engine 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 Ralph on the Engine, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
