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The War in the Air
The War in the Air

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The War in the Air is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By H. G. (Herbert George) Wells • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 3 of The War in the Air by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 428 sentences, grouped into 86 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.

What does chapter 3 of The War in the Air contain?

Chapter 3 holds 428 sentences of The War in the Air, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The War in the Air by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 428 sentences, grouped into 86 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 3 of The War in the Air?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 War in the Air

Common questions about reading The War in the Air by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The War in the Air?

Yes. All 6149 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #780 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The War in the Air is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #780, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The War in the Air take to read?

About 512 minutes of reading across 1230 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The War in the Air section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of The War in 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 War in the Air

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

Progress
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The War in the Air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smallways
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The War in the Air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Keeps
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The War in the Air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
You'd
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The War in the Air; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for The War in the Air
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I
Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.
He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.
He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.
He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The War in the Air

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The War in the Air is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I
Line 2
Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.
Line 3
He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.
Line 4
He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.
Line 5
He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.
All words in this reading · 77

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
all

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
America

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
as

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
be

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
Bert

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
between

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
by

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
century

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
circle

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
civilisation

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
could

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
country

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
creature

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
dibs

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
duty

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
early

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
England

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
escape

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
every

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
fact

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
fellows

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
from

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
get

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
good

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
had

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
hands

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
have

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
He

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
his

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
houses

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
I

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

From this reading I

Pending verification
ideas

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
it

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
life

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
limited

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
little

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
lived

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
look

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
made

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
man

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
mean

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
million

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
narrow

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
no

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
old

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
on

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
over

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
pert

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
produced

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
put

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
Smallways

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
smarter

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
sort

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
soul

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
streets

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
than

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
there

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
they

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
thought

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
time

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
twentieth

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
vulgar

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification
were

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
what

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
which

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

From this reading He had lived all his life in narrow streets, and between mean houses he could not look over, and in a narrow circle of ideas from which there was no escape.

Pending verification
who

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

From this reading He was, in fact, the sort of man who had made England and America what they were.

Pending verification
whole

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

From this reading He thought the whole duty of man was to be smarter than his fellows, get his hands, as he put it, “on the dibs,” and have a good time.

Pending verification
world

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

From this reading Bert Smallways was a vulgar little creature, the sort of pert, limited soul that the old civilisation of the early twentieth century produced by the million in every country of the world.

Pending verification