Chapter 11 of The Secret Places of the Heart is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of The Secret Places of the Heart is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“We are,” said Sir Richmond. “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime. And seeing Avebury to-morrow. Why not? Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
Chapter 11 of The Secret Places of the Heart is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/43 · 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 time you go to bed
From this reading ““I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.”
the action or reaction of something (as a machine or substance) under specified circumstances
From this reading “Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.””
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading “Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.””
plural of “german” — a person of German nationality
From this reading “Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.””
a manner that does not take forms and ceremonies seriously
From this reading “Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.””
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
From this reading “Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.””
capital of the state of Virginia located in the east central part of the state; was capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War
From this reading ““We are,” said Sir Richmond.”
disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
From this reading ““I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And seeing Avebury to-morrow.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “We are,” said Sir Richmond.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And seeing Avebury to-morrow.
the time you go to bed
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
the action or reaction of something (as a machine or substance) under specified circumstances
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
plural of “german” — a person of German nationality
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
a manner that does not take forms and ceremonies seriously
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
not any; not one
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Why not?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
by chance
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
capital of the state of Virginia located in the east central part of the state; was capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War
From this reading “We are,” said Sir Richmond.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “We are,” said Sir Richmond.
disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading And seeing Avebury to-morrow.
term of address for a man
From this reading “We are,” said Sir Richmond.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Perhaps if we did as the Germans do and gave our names now, it might mitigate something of the extreme informality of our behaviour.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I see no great scandal in talking right on to bedtime.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And seeing Avebury to-morrow.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “We are,” said Sir Richmond.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why not?
Chapter 11 of The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 218 sentences, grouped into 44 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 11 holds 218 sentences of The Secret Places of the Heart, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 44 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 11 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4621 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1734 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1734, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 385 minutes of reading across 925 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Secret Places of the Heart section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Secret Places of the Heart 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 Secret Places of the Heart, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
