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A Royal Prisoner
A Royal Prisoner

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for A Royal Prisoner
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.
In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.
In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.
He had been ordered to his office.
His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.
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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 Royal Prisoner

Chapter VI

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.
Line 2
In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.
Line 3
In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.
Line 4
He had been ordered to his office.
Line 5
His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

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 “In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.”

Thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.”

All words in this reading · 52

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 In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

advancement

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

all

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

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

Annion

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

From this reading His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

BEGINS

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

capable

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

career

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

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

Department

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

deprived

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

director

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

From this reading His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

discussions

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

From this reading His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

endless

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

From this reading His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

established

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

execrable

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

governmental

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

happened

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

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

holiday

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

humor

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

influencing

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

INVESTIGATION

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

M

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

New

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

office

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

From this reading He had been ordered to his office.

officials

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

ordered

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

From this reading He had been ordered to his office.

Police

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

rule

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

spent

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

spite

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

sub-director

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In all his long career such a thing had never happened before.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

usually

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

Vicart

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

visits

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS M. Vicart, sub-director of the Police Department, was in an execrable humor.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading His morning had been spent in endless discussions with M. Annion, his director.

Year

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

From this reading In spite of the established rule, he had been deprived of his New Year holiday, which he usually spent in visits to governmental officials capable of influencing his advancement.