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A Rock in the Baltic
A Rock in the Baltic

Chapter XIV · A Voyage into the Unknown

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Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.
He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.
It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.
It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.
He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Rock in the Baltic

Chapter XIV · A Voyage into the Unknown

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.
Line 2
He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.
Line 3
It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.
Line 4
It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.
Line 5
He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

Learner Dictionary

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

AFTER preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.”

Captain noun US /ˈcaptain/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.”

Distant adjective US /ˈdɪstənt/

not friendly or close

From this reading “He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.”

Take noun US /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.”

Wondered noun US /wondered/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

action

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

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

appeared

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

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

bed

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

bells

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

bolted

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

CaptainnounUS /ˈcaptain/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

churning

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

closed

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

destination

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/

not friendly or close

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

doing

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

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

door

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

doors

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

down

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

Drummond

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

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

edge

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

eleven

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

forty-five

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

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

friend

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

happened

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

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

heard

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

hospitable

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

hour

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

impossible

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

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

incredible

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

just

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

Lermontoff

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

looking

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

meditate

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

minutes

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

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

missing

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

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

much

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

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

now

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

o'clock

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

previously

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

ringing

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

sat

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

saw

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

shore

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

situation

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It appeared impossible that so much could have happened in forty-five minutes.

somewhere

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

steamer

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

takenounUS /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

then

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

three-quarters

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

unknown

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading AFTER the Captain left him, Lermontoff closed and bolted the door, then sat down upon the edge of his bed to meditate upon the situation.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

watch

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

From this reading He heard distant bells ringing on shore somewhere, and looking at his watch saw it was just eleven o’clock.

way

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

From this reading It seemed incredible that three-quarters of an hour previously he had left the hospitable doors of a friend, and now was churning his way in an unknown steamer to an unknown destination.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

wonderednounUS /wondered/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He wondered what Drummond was doing, and what action he would take when he found his friend missing.