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A Gamble with Life
A Gamble with Life

Chapter X

Cover illustration for A Gamble with Life
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.
There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.
Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.
To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.
So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.
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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.

A Gamble with Life

Chapter X

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

Line 1
A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.
Line 2
There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.
Line 3
Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.
Line 4
To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.
Line 5
So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.”

Mysterious adjective US /mɪˈstɪriəs/

difficult to explain or understand

From this reading “There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.”

All words in this reading · 72

Every word is available to listen to. 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 A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

admitted

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

allowed

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

antimacassars

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

arrangement

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

bed

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

bedroom

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

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

best

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

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

came

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

carry

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

chairs

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

closed

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

convenience

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

door

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

especially

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

expression

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

eyes

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

fishermen

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

later

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

misgivings

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

Mrs

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

difficult to explain or understand

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

narrow

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

once

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

parlour

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

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

pleaded

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

re-arrange

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

refused

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

remain

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

room

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

Rufus

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

serious

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

set

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

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

sofa

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

softly

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

staircase

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

steep

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

Sterne

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

straighten

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

task

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

There

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

tip-toe

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

Tuke

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

turned

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

From this reading Her best parlour had been turned, for the time being, into a bedroom.

undertake

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

up

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

From this reading To carry Rufus Sterne up the steep and narrow staircase was a task the fishermen refused to undertake, especially as Rufus had pleaded to be allowed to remain on the sofa.

VISITOR

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

From this reading A VISITOR Mrs. Tuke came into the room on tip-toe, and closed the door softly behind her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading There was a mysterious expression in her eyes, and she began at once to straighten the chairs and re-arrange the antimacassars.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading So a bed had been set up in the parlour--not without serious misgivings on the part of Mrs. Tuke, though she admitted the convenience of the arrangement later on.