Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Tono-Bungay
Tono-Bungay

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of Tono-Bungay is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tono-Bungay
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.
There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.
(You should see X2, my last and best!)
I can’t explain myself, I perceive.
Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

Tono-Bungay

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of Tono-Bungay is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.
Line 2
There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.
Line 3
(You should see X2, my last and best!)
Line 4
I can’t explain myself, I perceive.
Line 5
Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

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.

Mind noun US /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading “Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.”

All words in this reading · 69

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.

2

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

a

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

air

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

all

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

am

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

and

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

because

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

best

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

beyond

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

boats

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

But

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

cad

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

can't

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

colour

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

comes

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

don't

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

expect

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

explain

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

From this reading I can’t explain myself, I perceive.

find

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

for

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

form

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

half

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

hard

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

high

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

I

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

I'm

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

in

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

is

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

it

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

last

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

limited

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

lines

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

links

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

lose

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

make

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

Mantegna's

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

Marion's

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

me

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

merits

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

mood

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

morally

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

my

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

myself

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

of

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

or

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

perceive

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

From this reading I can’t explain myself, I perceive.

Perhaps

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

pictures

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

reader

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

see

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

should

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

so

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

something

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

sunset

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

talking

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

that

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

the

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

them

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

There

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

these

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

things

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

this

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

to

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

understand

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

From this reading But I’m talking of things I can’t expect the reader to understand, because I don’t half understand them myself.

was

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

From this reading There is something links things for me, a sunset or so, a mood or so, the high air, something there was in Marion’s form and colour, something I find and lose in Mantegna’s pictures, something in the lines of these boats I make.

with

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

From this reading Perhaps it all comes to this, that I am a hard and morally limited cad with a mind beyond my merits.

X

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

You

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

From this reading (You should see X2, my last and best!)

Chapter 20 of Tono-Bungay by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 208 sentences, grouped into 42 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 20 of Tono-Bungay contain?

Chapter 20 holds 208 sentences of Tono-Bungay, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of Tono-Bungay by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 208 sentences, grouped into 42 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 20 of Tono-Bungay?

Work through the 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 42 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Tono-Bungay

Common questions about reading Tono-Bungay by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tono-Bungay?

Yes. All 8702 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #718 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tono-Bungay is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #718, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tono-Bungay take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1741 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tono-Bungay section by section

How to work through Tono-Bungay section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Tono-Bungay 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 Tono-Bungay

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tono-Bungay, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

People
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tono-Bungay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
World
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tono-Bungay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Character
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tono-Bungay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Beginning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tono-Bungay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.