Chapter XXXI
OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never! If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!" Madeline looked up with a start. She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to. "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?
A Gamble with Life
Chapter XXXI
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
OLD
FRIENDS
"Well,
I
never!
If
this
ain't
the
greatest
surprise
of
the
trip!"
Madeline
looked
up
with
a
start.
She
recognised
the
American
accent,
before
she
had
any
idea
she
was
being
spoken
to.
"Well,
now,
who
_would_
have
thought
it?
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
OLD
FRIENDS
"Well,
I
never!
Line 2
If
this
ain't
the
greatest
surprise
of
the
trip!"
Line 3
Madeline
looked
up
with
a
start.
Line 4
She
recognised
the
American
accent,
before
she
had
any
idea
she
was
being
spoken
to.
Line 5
"Well,
now,
who
_would_
have
thought
it?
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Before
preposition
US /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.”
Being
auxiliary verb
US /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.”
Have
auxiliary verb
US /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “"Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?”
Looked
noun
US /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Madeline looked up with a start.”
Never
noun
US /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!”
Start
noun
US /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Madeline looked up with a start.”
Thought
noun
US /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?”
Well
noun
US /well/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!”
Would
modal verb
US /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
All words in this reading · 37
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 Madeline looked up with a start.
accent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
ain't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
American
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
FRIENDS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!
greatest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!
idea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Madeline looked up with a start.
Madeline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Madeline looked up with a start.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
OLD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!
recognised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
spoken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
startnounUS /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Madeline looked up with a start.
surprise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
trip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If this ain't the greatest surprise of the trip!"
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Madeline looked up with a start.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She recognised the American accent, before she had any idea she was being spoken to.
Well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD FRIENDS "Well, I never!
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Madeline looked up with a start.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Well, now, who _would_ have thought it?