Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Railway Conquest of the World
The Railway Conquest of the World

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Railway Conquest of the World is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Railway Conquest of the World
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”
It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.
When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.
There was Cairo in the north, and Cape Town in the south.
He aspired to join the two by rail.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Railway Conquest of the World

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Railway Conquest of the World is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”
Line 2
It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.
/ɪt ɪz ə freɪz ðæt hæz meɪd ˈhɪstəri ðoʊ pərˈhæps nɑːt soʊ ˈræpədli æz ɪts kriˈeɪtər ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/
Line 3
When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.
Line 4
There was Cairo in the north, and Cape Town in the south.
/ðer wɑːz ˈkaɪroʊ ɪn ðə nɔːrθ ənd keɪp taʊn ɪn ðə saʊθ/
Line 5
He aspired to join the two by rail.
/hiː əˈspaɪrd tuː dʒɔɪn ðə tuː baɪ reɪl/

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.

African adjective US /ˈæfrəkən/

of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples

From this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
aspired verb US /əˈspaɪrd/

past form of “aspire” — have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal

From this reading “He aspired to join the two by rail.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
binding noun US /ˈbaɪndɪŋ/

the capacity to attract and hold something

From this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cairo noun US /ˈkaɪroʊ/

a town at the southern tip of Illinois at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers

From this reading “CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
creator noun US /kriˈeɪtər/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading “It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
indication noun US /ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən/

something that serves to indicate or suggest

From this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rhodes noun US /roʊdz/

British colonial financier and statesman in South Africa

From this reading “CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
undertaking noun US /ˈʌndərteɪkɪŋ/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

conceived the idea verb + article + noun counted as “conceive … idea”

In this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

1,039 times in 426,211 chapters
great difficulty adjective + noun

In this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

5,261 times in 426,211 chapters
extreme points adjective + noun counted as “extreme point”

the point located farthest from the middle of something

In this reading “When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.”

330 times in 426,211 chapters
by rail preposition + noun

In this reading “He aspired to join the two by rail.”

1,337 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 69

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 It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AfricanadjectiveUS /ˈæfrəkən/

of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aspiredverbUS /əˈspaɪrd/

past form of “aspire” — have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal

From this reading He aspired to join the two by rail.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bindingnounUS /ˈbaɪndɪŋ/

the capacity to attract and hold something

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He aspired to join the two by rail.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CAIROnounUS /ˈkaɪroʊ/

a town at the southern tip of Illinois at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CAPEnounUS /keɪp/

a strip of land projecting into a body of water

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
castverbUS /kæst/

put or send forth

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CECIL

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

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Pending verification
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/

past form of “conceive” — have the idea for

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/

one of the large landmasses of the earth

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
creatornounUS /kriˈeɪtər/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
difficultynounUS /ˈdɪfəkəlti/

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DREAMnounUS /driːm/

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

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora curated lexicon
earnounUS /iːr/

the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
experiencedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspɪriənst/

having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
extremeadjectiveUS /ekˈstriːm/

of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
familiaradjectiveUS /fəˈmɪljər/

well known or easily recognized

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
findingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

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

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
indicationnounUS /ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən/

something that serves to indicate or suggest

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
joinverbUS /dʒɔɪn/

become part of; become a member of a group or organization

From this reading He aspired to join the two by rail.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
northnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Northwardsadverb

in a northern direction

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
phrasenounUS /freɪz/

an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
phrasesnounUS /ˈfreɪzəz/

plural of “phrase” — an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pointsnounUS /pɔɪnts/

plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
railnounUS /reɪl/

a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports

From this reading He aspired to join the two by rail.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rapidlyadverbUS /ˈræpədli/

with speed

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RHODESnounUS /roʊdz/

British colonial financier and statesman in South Africa

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
southnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading It is a phrase that has made history, though perhaps not so rapidly as its creator anticipated.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
titlenounUS /ˈtaɪtəl/

a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TownnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading CECIL RHODES’ DREAM--FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO I.--_Northwards from Cape Town_ Few phrases have become so familiar to the ear as from the “Cape to Cairo.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
undertakingnounUS /ˈʌndərteɪkɪŋ/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading There was Cairo in the north, and Cape Town in the south.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Cecil Rhodes first cast his eyes from north to south, and conceived the idea of binding the two extreme points of the African continent together, there is no indication that he experienced great difficulty in finding a title for his undertaking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 12 of The Railway Conquest of the World by Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot holds 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 12 of The Railway Conquest of the World contain?

Chapter 12 holds 155 sentences of The Railway Conquest of the World, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Railway Conquest of the World by Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 12 of The Railway Conquest of the World?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Railway Conquest of the World

Common questions about reading The Railway Conquest of the World by Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Railway Conquest of the World?

Yes. All 4385 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66868 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Railway Conquest of the World is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #66868, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Railway Conquest of the World take to read?

About 365 minutes of reading across 877 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Railway Conquest of the World section by section

How to work through The Railway Conquest of the World section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of The Railway Conquest of the World 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 Railway Conquest of the World

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Railway Conquest of the World, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Conquest of the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Garden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Conquest of the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Canada
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Conquest of the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Making
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Conquest of the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.