Here is a modernised adaptation of the first chapter of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, rewritten for B2-level English readers.
This version retains the original ideas but uses modern vocabulary and structure.
It is approximately 1000 words, followed by a glossary and comprehension questions with answers.
The Time Machine — Modern Adaptation
(Chapter 1)
It was a cosy evening. A few of us were sitting comfortably in the Time Traveller’s home. He was an intelligent man, always curious and full of new ideas. That evening, he looked more excited than usual, his pale face glowing as he explained something mysterious.
We sat in his special chairs, which he had designed to be extra comfortable. The fire was warm, and the lights shone gently around the room. We had just finished dinner and were feeling relaxed and ready to listen.
“You must listen carefully,” he said. “What I’m about to say may sound strange. But give me a chance to explain.”
He pointed with his long finger as he spoke. “You all learned in school that the world has three dimensions—length, width, and height. But I will tell you that this idea is not complete.”
Filby, a red-haired man who liked to argue, asked, “Isn’t that a big claim to start with?”
“I’m not asking you to believe me without reason,” the Time Traveller replied. “You know that a line in mathematics with no thickness doesn’t exist in real life. The same is true for a flat surface.”
“That makes sense,” said the Psychologist.
“And what about a cube?” asked the Time Traveller. “Can it exist just for one moment and then disappear?”
Filby frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
The Time Traveller explained, “Any real object must have not just size in space but also time. It must last for some period. That means there are not just three dimensions, but four: length, width, height, and time.”
He continued, “We often forget time is a dimension because we only move in one direction through it—from the past to the future.”
A young man, trying to light his cigar, nodded. “That makes sense.”
“People often misunderstand the idea of the fourth dimension,” said the Time Traveller. “But it’s really just another way to describe time. The only difference between time and space is that our minds move only one way in time.”
The Mayor, who had not heard this before, asked, “So time is like space?”
“Yes,” the Time Traveller said. “Space has three directions, and some scientists have asked, why not a fourth direction? They are working on the math to describe it. Just like you can draw a 3D object on a 2D piece of paper, we might be able to represent a 4D object using our three dimensions—if we understand how.”
The Mayor looked thoughtful, whispering to himself as he tried to understand.
“I’ve been studying this for a while,” said the Time Traveller. “Think about photos of a man at different ages—8, 15, 23. These are just moments, or ‘slices,’ of his whole existence across time. His full life is like a 4D object.”
He gave another example. “Look at this weather chart. The line shows how the air pressure changes. It moves across time, not space. But it’s still a real line in a different direction.”
The Medical Man asked, “If time is just another dimension, why don’t we move around like we do in space?”
The Time Traveller smiled. “Are you sure we can move in space freely? We walk forward and backwards, left and right, but up and down is harder. Gravity holds us down.”
“But we have balloons,” said the Medical Man.
“Yes, but before balloons, we couldn’t move up easily,” said the Time Traveller. “And just like that, maybe one day we will learn to move in time.”
“But we can’t move in time now,” said the Psychologist.
“That’s where everyone is wrong,” said the Time Traveller. “We are always moving through time, just slowly and only in one direction. When you remember something clearly, your mind goes back for a moment. That’s a kind of time travel. We can’t stay in the past, but maybe we will one day. Like balloons helped us go up, a machine may help us move in time.”
Filby laughed. “This is all nonsense!”
“Why not?” asked the Time Traveller. “Why should it be impossible?”
“It just doesn’t seem right,” said Filby.
“You can argue anything,” said the Time Traveller. “But I’ve been studying the geometry of four dimensions for years. I even had an idea for a machine—”
“A time machine?” asked the young man.
“Yes. A machine that can travel in any direction—through space or time.”
Filby laughed again.
“But I have proof,” said the Time Traveller.
The Psychologist smiled. “That would be useful for historians! You could go back and check the facts.”
“Or meet Homer and Plato,” said the young man.
“But you might not fit in,” said the Medical Man. “People from the past wouldn’t understand your clothes or language.”
“And what about the future?” said the young man. “You could invest your money and travel forward to see it grow!”
“Or see a world where everyone shares everything equally,” someone joked.
“Wild ideas,” said the Psychologist.
“Yes,” said the Time Traveller. “That’s why I haven’t spoken about it much—until now.”
“You have an experiment?” I asked.
“Yes,” said the Time Traveller.
“Let’s see it!” said the Psychologist.
The Time Traveller smiled and walked out of the room. We heard his slippers in the hallway.
“What do you think it will be?” the Psychologist asked.
“Probably a magic trick,” said the Medical Man. Filby began telling a story about a magician he saw, but before he finished, the Time Traveller returned—and everyone went silent.
Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cozy | Warm and comfortable |
| Dimension | A direction or measurement (like length or height) |
| Frown | To look confused or unhappy |
| Existence | Being alive or real |
| Slice | A part or section |
| Air pressure | The force of air on something |
| Balloon | A flying object filled with gas, used to go up in the sky |
| Velocity | Speed and direction of movement |
| Savage | A person without modern knowledge (old-fashioned term) |
| Anachronism | Something out of place in time (e.g., a car in ancient Rome) |
Comprehension Questions
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What is the Time Traveller trying to explain to his guests?
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Why does the Time Traveller say a real object needs time to exist?
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How does the Time Traveller describe our movement through time?
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What idea does the Time Traveller introduce at the end of the chapter?
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How do the guests react to his ideas?
Answers
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He explains that time is a fourth dimension, like length, width, and height.
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Because it must last for some time, not just appear for one instant.
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He says we are always moving through time from birth to death, like we move through space.
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He suggests he has built a machine that can travel through time.
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Some are curious, some are doubtful, and Filby laughs at the idea.
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