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A Thorny Path — Complete
A Thorny Path — Complete

Chapter II

Cover illustration for A Thorny Path — Complete
Context Illustration Reading 1/51 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The brother and sister were left together.
Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.
Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!
No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!
But we know what it all means.
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Speed 0.75x
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 Thorny Path — Complete

Chapter II

Reading 1/51 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The brother and sister were left together.
Line 2
Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.
Line 3
Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!
Line 4
No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!
Line 5
But we know what it all means.

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 “No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But we know what it all means.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The brother and sister were left together.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!”

Poor noun US /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!”

All words in this reading · 62

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 Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

all

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

From this reading But we know what it all means.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

arm

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

brother

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

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

child

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

deeply

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

Eighteen

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

envy

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

father

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

fellow-captive

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

gloomy

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

hard

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

indeed

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

keeper

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

kept

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But we know what it all means.

laid

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

less

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

locked

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

means

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

From this reading But we know what it all means.

Melissa

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

old

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

PoornounUS /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

pretty

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

prison

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

round

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

said

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

shoulder

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

sighed

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

sister

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

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

together

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

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

up

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

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading But we know what it all means.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The brother and sister were left together.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But we know what it all means.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

years

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

From this reading Eighteen years old, and as pretty as you are, to be kept locked up as if in prison!

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Melissa sighed deeply; but her brother went up to her, laid his arm round her shoulder, and said: "Poor child! you have indeed a hard time of it.

younger

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

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading No one would envy you, even if your fellow-captive and keeper were younger and less gloomy than your father is!