Chapter 14 of The Research Magnificent is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIV
Chapter 14 of The Research Magnificent is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected. Than what? Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed. He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence. Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
Chapter 14 of The Research Magnificent is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)
From this reading “Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.”
thin curly wood shavings used for packing or stuffing
From this reading ““Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.”
marked by refinement in taste and manners
From this reading “Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.”
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading “He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.”
past form of “interject” — to insert between other elements
From this reading ““Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.”
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading “He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.”
moderate to inferior in quality
From this reading “He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.”
morally excellent
From this reading “Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed.
past form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally
From this reading Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
a boy or man
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
deem to be
From this reading Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed.
socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
thin curly wood shavings used for packing or stuffing
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
marked by refinement in taste and manners
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
past form of “interject” — to insert between other elements
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
moderate to inferior in quality
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading Consider the quality Benham had already betrayed.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Than what?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
the act of using
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
morally excellent
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was manifestly incapable of a decent modest mediocre existence.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Than what?
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Better die with the Excelsior chap up the mountains,” the defence interjected.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Already he had ceased to be--if one may use so fine a word for genteel abstinence--virtuous.
Chapter 14 of The Research Magnificent by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 199 sentences, grouped into 40 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 14 holds 199 sentences of The Research Magnificent, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 14 of The Research Magnificent by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 199 sentences, grouped into 40 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 40 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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.
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Yes. All 6977 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1138 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1138, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 581 minutes of reading across 1396 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Research Magnificent section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Research Magnificent to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Research Magnificent, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
