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The Invasion
The Invasion

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of The Invasion is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE RAIN OF DEATH.
Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.
Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.
In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.
The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Invasion

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of The Invasion is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE RAIN OF DEATH.
/ðə reɪn ʌv deθ/
Line 2
Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.
/θruː ðə hoʊl ˌæftərˈnuːn ðə ˈhevi ˈdʒɜːrmən ɑːrˈtɪləri rɔːrd ˈbeltʃɪŋ fɔːrθ ðer ˈfaɪəri ˈvendʒəns əˈpɑːn ˈlʌndən/
Line 3
Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.
Line 4
In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.
Line 5
The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

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.

belching noun US /ˈbeltʃɪŋ/

the forceful expulsion of something from inside

From this reading “Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.”

Foundling noun US /ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/

a child who has been abandoned and whose parents are unknown

From this reading “Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.”

fronts noun US /frʌnts/

plural of “front” — the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading “In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.”

pane noun US /peɪn/

sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors

From this reading “In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.”

pounded verb US /ˈpaʊndɪd/

past form of “pound” — hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument

From this reading “Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.”

roadway noun US /ˈroʊdweɪ/

a road (especially that part of a road) over which vehicles travel

From this reading “In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.”

squares noun US /skwerz/

plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon

From this reading “The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.”

yawning adjective US /ˈjɔːnɪŋ/

gaping open as if threatening to engulf someone or something

From this reading “The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.”

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.

Post Offices verb + noun counted as “post office”

a local branch where postal services are available

In this reading “Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.”

suffered severely verb + particle counted as “suffer severely”

In this reading “In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.”

in the centre preposition + article + noun counted as “in … centre”

In this reading “In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.”

whole afternoon adjective + noun

In this reading “Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.”

after hour preposition + noun

In this reading “Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.”

All words in this reading · 85

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/

large but transportable armament

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

belchingnounUS /ˈbeltʃɪŋ/

the forceful expulsion of something from inside

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

Bloomsburynoun

a city district of central London laid out in garden squares

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

buildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/

plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/

-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

casesnounUS /ˈkeɪsəz/

plural of “case” — an occurrence of something

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

centrenounUS /ˈsentər/

a low-lying region in central France

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

ChurchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

CollegenounUS /ˈkɑːlɪdʒ/

the body of faculty and students of a college

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

CourtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

DEATHnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading THE RAIN OF DEATH.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

FoundlingnounUS /ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/

a child who has been abandoned and whose parents are unknown

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

frontsnounUS /frʌnts/

plural of “front” — the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/

an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

furniturenounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

GermannounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmən/

a person of German nationality

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

glassnounUS /ɡlæs/

a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

Gower

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

Hampstead

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

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

heapnounUS /hiːp/

a collection of objects laid on top of each other

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

HospitalnounUS /ˈhɑːspɪtəl/

a health facility where patients receive treatment

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

HournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

Maple's

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

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE RAIN OF DEATH.

OfficesnounUS /ˈɔːfəsəz/

plural of “office” — place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

Pancras

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

panenounUS /peɪn/

sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

ParcelnounUS /ˈpɑːrsəl/

a wrapped container

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

PostverbUS /poʊst/

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

poundedverbUS /ˈpaʊndɪd/

past form of “pound” — hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

RAINnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading THE RAIN OF DEATH.

revealingadjectiveUS /rɪˈviːlɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

RoadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

roadwaynounUS /ˈroʊdweɪ/

a road (especially that part of a road) over which vehicles travel

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

roaredverbUS /rɔːrd/

past form of “roar” — make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/

plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

severelyadverbUS /səˈvɪrli/

to a severe or serious degree

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

shatteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃætərd/

ruined or disrupted

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

shellsnounUS /ʃelz/

plural of “shell” — ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

Shoolbred's

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

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

shopsnounUS /ʃɑːps/

plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

smashedadjectiveUS /smæʃt/

very drunk

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

squaresnounUS /skwerz/

plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

St

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE RAIN OF DEATH.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

ThroughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

tornadjectiveUS /tɔːrn/

having edges that are jagged from injury

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

Tottenham

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

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

UniversitynounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəti/

the body of faculty and students at a university

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

vengeancenounUS /ˈvendʒəns/

the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

veritableadjectiveUS /ˈverɪtəbəl/

often used as intensifiers

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading In Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the fronts of both buildings.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching forth their fiery vengeance upon London.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

yawningadjectiveUS /ˈjɔːnɪŋ/

gaping open as if threatening to engulf someone or something

From this reading The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered furniture within.

Chapter 17 of The Invasion by William Le Queux holds 150 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.

What does chapter 17 of The Invasion contain?

Chapter 17 holds 150 sentences of The Invasion, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of The Invasion by William Le Queux exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 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.

How do I study chapter 17 of The Invasion?

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.

Can chapter 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Invasion

Common questions about reading The Invasion by William Le Queux on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Invasion?

Yes. All 3974 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36155 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Invasion is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36155, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Invasion take to read?

About 331 minutes of reading across 795 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Invasion section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Invasion 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 Invasion

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Invasion, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Enclosed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Invasion; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Equal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Invasion; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Signs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Invasion; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Invasion; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.