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Tono-Bungay
Tono-Bungay

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of Tono-Bungay is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tono-Bungay
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.
As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.
It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.
I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.
Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.
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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 XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of Tono-Bungay is here in full — 225 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.
Line 2
As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.
Line 3
It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.
Line 4
I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.
Line 5
Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

All words in this reading · 90

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.

a

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

admirably

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

aeroplane

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

all

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

although

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

an

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

and

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

any

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

As

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

at

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

back

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

balloon

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

been

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

before

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

blowing

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

bottom

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

by

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

contracted

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

could

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

craft

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

customary

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

downward

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

effect

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

ever

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

extraordinary

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

extremely

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

face

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

faced

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

flat

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

gave

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

gentle

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

glider

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

going

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

gone

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

had

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

have

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

head

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

horizontal

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

hour

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

I

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

in

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

independent

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

invisibility

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

it

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

lay

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

levitation

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

looking

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

Lord

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

machinery

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

miles

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

more

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

my

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

navigable

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

nine

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

of

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

on

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

Only

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

or

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

out

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

passages

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

point

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

position

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

From this reading I lay in my customary glider position, horizontal and face downward, and the invisibility of all the machinery gave an extraordinary effect of independent levitation.

propeller

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

rapid

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

Roberts

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

run

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

see

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

seen

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

shed

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

sort

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

southwester

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

success

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

successive

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

swish

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

ten

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

that

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

the

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

there

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

thing

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

to

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

turned

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

From this reading It had run out of the shed admirably at nine or ten miles an hour or more, and although there was a gentle southwester blowing, it had gone up and turned and faced it as well as any craft of the sort I have ever seen.

turning

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

unqualified

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

Up

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

vans

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

was

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

well

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

were

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

From this reading Only by looking up, as it were, and turning my head back could I see the flat aeroplane bottom of the balloon and the rapid successive passages, swish, swish, swish of the vans of the propeller.

whole

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

From this reading Up to that point the whole thing had been going on extremely well.

α

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

From this reading As a navigable balloon and before I contracted it, the Lord Roberts α was an unqualified success.

Chapter 29 of Tono-Bungay by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells holds 225 sentences, grouped into 45 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 29 of Tono-Bungay contain?

Chapter 29 holds 225 sentences of Tono-Bungay, unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 29 of Tono-Bungay by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 225 sentences, grouped into 45 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 29 of Tono-Bungay?

Work through the 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 45 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 29 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 29 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.