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Tom Swift and his airline express
Tom Swift and his airline express

Chapter XXV · A Glorious Finish

Chapter XXV of Tom Swift and his airline express, “A Glorious Finish,” is here in full — 212 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tom Swift and his airline express
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.
“Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ned.
“I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.
I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
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Tom Swift and his airline express

Chapter XXV · A Glorious Finish

Chapter XXV of Tom Swift and his airline express, “A Glorious Finish,” is here in full — 212 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.
Line 2
“Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.
/ɡet ˈredi tuː ˈfɑːloʊ miː ʌp əˈbʌv ənd ðə jʌŋ ˌɪnˈventər meɪd ˈredi tuː əˈsend ðə enˈkloʊzd ˈlædər tuː ðə ˈkɑːkpɪt ˈoʊvərˈhed/
Line 3
“What’s wrong?” asked Ned.
Line 4
“I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.
Line 5
I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

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.

ascend verb US /əˈsend/

travel up

From this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

cockpit noun US /ˈkɑːkpɪt/

compartment where the pilot sits while flying the aircraft

From this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

dirty adjective US /ˈdɜːrti/

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading ““I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.”

enclosed adjective US /enˈkloʊzd/

closed in or surrounded or included within

From this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

inventor noun US /ˌɪnˈventər/

someone who is the first to think of or make something

From this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

ladder noun US /ˈlædər/

steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

From this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

ordered adjective US /ˈɔːrdərd/

having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule

From this reading ““Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.”

overhead adverb US /ˈoʊvərˈhed/

above your head; in the sky

From this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

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.

young inventor adjective + noun

In this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

low voice adjective + noun

In this reading ““Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.”

Get ready verb + adjective

In this reading ““Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.”

Stand by verb + particle

not act or do anything

In this reading ““Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.”

All words in this reading · 45

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 “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/

filled with fear or apprehension

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

ascendverbUS /əˈsend/

travel up

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading “What’s wrong?” asked Ned.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

cockpitnounUS /ˈkɑːkpɪt/

compartment where the pilot sits while flying the aircraft

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

don't

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

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

enclosedadjectiveUS /enˈkloʊzd/

closed in or surrounded or included within

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

GetverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

I'm

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

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

inventornounUS /ˌɪnˈventər/

someone who is the first to think of or make something

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

laddernounUS /ˈlædər/

steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

Ned

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

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

orderedadjectiveUS /ˈɔːrdərd/

having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/

above your head; in the sky

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

StandverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

they've

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

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

TomnounUS /tɑːm/

male cat

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I’m afraid they’ve got us, after all!”

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

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

From this reading “Stand by, Ned!” ordered Tom, in a low voice.

What's

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

From this reading “What’s wrong?” asked Ned.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading “I don’t know; but it looks like dirty work.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading “What’s wrong?” asked Ned.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading “Get ready to follow me up above,” and the young inventor made ready to ascend the enclosed ladder to the cockpit overhead.

Chapter 25 of Tom Swift and his airline express by Victor Appleton holds 212 sentences, grouped into 43 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 25 of Tom Swift and his airline express contain?

Chapter 25 holds 212 sentences of Tom Swift and his airline express, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of Tom Swift and his airline express by Victor Appleton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 212 sentences, grouped into 43 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 25 of Tom Swift and his airline express?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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 Tom Swift and his airline express

Common questions about reading Tom Swift and his airline express by Victor Appleton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tom Swift and his airline express?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tom Swift and his airline express is used?

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

How long does Tom Swift and his airline express take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tom Swift and his airline express section by section

How to work through Tom Swift and his airline express section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in Tom Swift and his airline express

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tom Swift and his airline express, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Tom Swift and his airline express, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Tom Swift and his airline express, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.