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The tunnel thru the air
The tunnel thru the air

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The tunnel thru the air is here in full — 74 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The tunnel thru the air
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.
Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.
Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.
Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.
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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 tunnel thru the air

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The tunnel thru the air is here in full — 74 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.
/ˈrɑːbərt tɜːrnd tuː ðə ˈbaɪbəl fɔːr ˌkɑːnsəˈleɪʃən/
Line 2
Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.
/red ˈevəri ˈtʃæptər ʌv ðə sɔːŋ ʌv ˈsɒl.ə.mən/
Line 3
Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:
Line 4
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.
Line 5
Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

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.

comely adjective US /ˈkʌmli/

according with custom or propriety

From this reading “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.”

consolation noun US /ˌkɑːnsəˈleɪʃən/

the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment

From this reading “Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.”

dove noun US /dʌv/

any of numerous small pigeons

From this reading “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.”

hiding noun US /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/

the activity of keeping something secret

From this reading “Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.”

impressed adjective US /ˌɪmˈprest/

deeply or markedly affected or influenced

From this reading “Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:”

longed verb US /lɔːŋd/

past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently

From this reading “Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.”

prayed verb US /preɪd/

past form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

From this reading “Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.”

Solomon proper noun US /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading “Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.”

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.

hiding place noun + noun

a place suitable for hiding something (such as yourself)

In this reading “Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.”

much impressed adverb + adjective

In this reading “Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:”

come forth verb + particle

come out of

In this reading “Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.”

secret places noun + noun counted as “secret place”

In this reading “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.”

All words in this reading · 53

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.

14

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

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

2

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

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

BiblenounUS /ˈbaɪbəl/

the sacred writings of the Christian religions

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

chapternounUS /ˈtʃæptər/

a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.

clefts

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

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

comelyadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmli/

according with custom or propriety

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

consolationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəˈleɪʃən/

the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

countenancenounUS /ˈkaʊntənəns/

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

dovenounUS /dʌv/

any of numerous small pigeons

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

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

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/

the activity of keeping something secret

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

impressedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprest/

deeply or markedly affected or influenced

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/

past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

Marie's

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

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

prayedverbUS /preɪd/

past form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

ReadverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.

RobertnounUS /ˈrɑːbərt/

United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

rocknounUS /rɑːk/

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Robert longed to hear Marie's voice and prayed that she might come forth from her secret hiding place.

Solomonproper nounUS /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.

SongnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading Read every chapter of the Song of Solomon.

stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Robert turned to the Bible for consolation.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.

Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Was very much impressed with Chapter 2:14:

Chapter 18 of The tunnel thru the air by William D. (William Delbert) Gann holds 74 sentences, grouped into 15 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 18 of The tunnel thru the air contain?

Chapter 18 holds 74 sentences of The tunnel thru the air, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The tunnel thru the air by William D. (William Delbert) Gann exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 74 sentences, grouped into 15 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 18 of The tunnel thru the air?

Work through the 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 15 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 tunnel thru the air

Common questions about reading The tunnel thru the air by William D. (William Delbert) Gann on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The tunnel thru the air?

Yes. All 5076 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #74988 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The tunnel thru the air is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #74988, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The tunnel thru the air take to read?

About 423 minutes of reading across 1016 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The tunnel thru the air section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of The tunnel thru the air 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 tunnel thru the air

Words and structures a reader meets early in The tunnel thru the air, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The tunnel thru the air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Truth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The tunnel thru the air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The tunnel thru the air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Speculation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The tunnel thru the air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.