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A Singular Life
A Singular Life

Chapter XVII

Cover illustration for A Singular Life
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.
“It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?
I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”
She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.
“Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.
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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 Singular Life

Chapter XVII

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.
Line 2
“It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?
Line 3
I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”
Line 4
She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.
Line 5
“Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

Learner Dictionary

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

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.”

Fool noun US /fool/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.””

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading ““I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.”

Tell noun US /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.”

Understand noun US /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.”

All words in this reading · 58

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 I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

ain't

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

From this reading I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

aloud

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

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

announced

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

anxious

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

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

approached

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

arm

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

Bayard

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

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

Bayard's

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

beck

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

bother

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

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

calm

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

determination

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

distinctly

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

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

feels

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

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

few

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

flat

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

From this reading I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

foolnounUS /fool/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

got

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

I've

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

important

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

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

It's

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

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

Lena

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

likely

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

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

low

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?

said

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lena still feels a little anxious,” said Bayard aloud, distinctly.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I ain’t no such a fool nor flat.”

tellnounUS /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

tone

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

understandnounUS /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

wife

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “I’ve got something to tell him,” announced Lena with calm determination.

words

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

From this reading She approached, at Bayard’s beck, and said a few words in a tone so low that even the wife upon his arm did not understand them.

wouldn't

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

From this reading “It’s important, or I wouldn’t bother him, is it likely?