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The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps
The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
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The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.
And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.
The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.
The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.
And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.
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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.

The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.
Line 2
And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.
Line 3
The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.
/ðə ˈeɪn.ʃənt məˈθɑːlədʒiː ʌv ðə ɡriːks rɪˈviːlz æn ˈɪntrəst ɪn ðɪs ˈprɑːbləm/
Line 4
The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.
Line 5
And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.
/ənd ˈiːvɪn təˈdeɪ ˈæftər ˈsentʃəriz ʌv ˈtraɪəl ənd ˈerər hæv brɔːt æn ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl driːm tuː ə ˈstriːmlaɪnd ˌæktʃuːˈælətiː ðə ˈɡlæmər ənd ˈmɑːrvəl ʌv ˌeɪviˈeɪʃən stɪl ɡrɪps ðə maɪndz ʌv men/

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.

actuality noun US /ˌæktʃuːˈælətiː/

the state of actually existing objectively

From this reading “¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.”

aviation noun US /ˌeɪviˈeɪʃən/

the aggregation of a country's military aircraft

From this reading “¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.”

glamour noun US /ˈɡlæmər/

alluring beauty or charm (often with sex-appeal)

From this reading “¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.”

grips noun US /ɡrɪps/

plural of “grip” — the act of grasping

From this reading “¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.”

intangible noun US /ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl/

assets that are saleable though not material or physical

From this reading “¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.”

mythology noun US /məˈθɑːlədʒiː/

myths collectively; the body of stories associated with a culture or institution or person

From this reading “¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.”

reveals verb US /rɪˈviːlz/

third-person singular of “reveal” — make visible

From this reading “¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.”

streamlined adjective US /ˈstriːmlaɪnd/

made efficient by stripping off nonessentials

From this reading “¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

middle ages noun + noun counted as “middle age”

the time of life between youth and old age (e.g., between 40 and 60 years of age)

In this reading “The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.”

flying machine adjective + noun

In this reading “The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.”

All words in this reading · 102

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.

522

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

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

actualitynounUS /ˌæktʃuːˈælətiː/

the state of actually existing objectively

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

ADDRESSverbUS /ˈædres/

speak to

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

agesnounUS /ˈeɪdʒəz/

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

AirnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

alchemists

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

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

ambitionsnounUS /æmˈbɪʃənz/

plural of “ambition” — a cherished desire

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

ancestorsnounUS /ˈænsestərz/

plural of “ancestor” — someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

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

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

artificialadjectiveUS /ˌɑːrtəˈfɪʃəl/

contrived by art rather than nature

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

AVENUEnounUS /ˈævənuː/

a line of approach

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

aviationnounUS /ˌeɪviˈeɪʃən/

the aggregation of a country's military aircraft

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

BRUECHIG

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

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

CABLEnounUS /ˈkeɪbəl/

a telegram sent abroad

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

centuriesnounUS /ˈsentʃəriz/

plural of “century” — a period of 100 years

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

CITYnounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/

(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

EMIL

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

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

errornounUS /ˈerər/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

FIFTHnounUS /fɪfθ/

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

flightnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

flyingadjectiveUS /ˈflaɪɪŋ/

moving swiftly

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

glamournounUS /ˈɡlæmər/

alluring beauty or charm (often with sex-appeal)

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

GreeksnounUS /ɡriːks/

plural of “greek” — the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

gripsnounUS /ɡrɪps/

plural of “grip” — the act of grasping

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

HistorynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

how

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

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

intangiblenounUS /ˌɪnˈtændʒəbəl/

assets that are saleable though not material or physical

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

machinenounUS /məˈʃiːn/

any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

MailnounUS /meɪl/

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

marvelverbUS /ˈmɑːrvəl/

be amazed at

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

mythologynounUS /məˈθɑːlədʒiː/

myths collectively; the body of stories associated with a culture or institution or person

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

NnounUS /en/

a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

NEWadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

parchments

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

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

philosophersnounUS /fəˈlɑːsəfərz/

plural of “philosopher” — a specialist in philosophy

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

problemnounUS /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

reachesnounUS /ˈriːtʃəz/

plural of “reach” — the limits within which something can be effective

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

recordsnounUS /rəˈkɔːrdz/

plural of “record” — anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

revealsverbUS /rɪˈviːlz/

third-person singular of “reveal” — make visible

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

RomancenounUS /roʊˈmæns/

a relationship between two lovers

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

RomenounUS /roʊm/

capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

rulernounUS /ˈruːlər/

a person who rules or commands

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

StampsnounUS /stæmps/

plural of “stamp” — the distinctive form in which a thing is made

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

streamlinedadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmlaɪnd/

made efficient by stripping off nonessentials

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

suggestedverbUS /səˈdʒestɪd/

past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

surmiseverbUS /sərˈmaɪz/

infer from incomplete evidence

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

theoriesnounUS /ˈθɪriz/

plural of “theory” — a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading ¶ The ancient mythology of the Greeks reveals an interest in this problem.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

time-stained

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

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

todaynounUS /təˈdeɪ/

the present time or age

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

trialnounUS /ˈtraɪəl/

the act of testing something

From this reading ¶ And even today, after centuries of trial and error have brought an intangible dream to a streamlined actuality, the glamour and marvel of aviation still grips the minds of men.

unchronicled

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

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading And one can only surmise how long ago it must have been, in the dim unchronicled past, when the idea of human flight first suggested itself to our ancestors.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading The philosophers who lived when Rome was ruler of the world, and the alchemists of the middle ages have left time-stained parchments of their thoughts and theories about artificial flight.

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

YnounUS /waɪ/

a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

YORKnounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps EMIL BRUECHIG 522 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: “BRUECHIG,” N. Y. The history of the flying machine reaches back as far as the earliest of man’s written records of his thoughts and ambitions.

Chapter 1 of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps by Emil, -1947 Bruechig holds 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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 1 of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps contain?

Chapter 1 holds 205 sentences of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps by Emil, -1947 Bruechig exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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 1 of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 1 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps

Common questions about reading The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps by Emil, -1947 Bruechig on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps?

Yes. All 205 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #62640 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #62640, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps take to read?

About 17 minutes of reading across 41 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps section by section

How to work through The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps 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 The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps

Words and structures a reader meets early in The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

History
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Romance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stamps
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bruechig
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History and Romance of Air Mail Stamps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.