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An Ambitious Man
An Ambitious Man

Chapter XII

Cover illustration for An Ambitious Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.
For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.
But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.
It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.
The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.
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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.

An Ambitious Man

Chapter XII

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.
Line 2
For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.
Line 3
But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.
Line 4
It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.
Line 5
The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

Learner Dictionary

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

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.”

All words in this reading · 67

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 TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

acquaintance

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

away

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

Baroness

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

Blank's

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

Church

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

desire

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

elicited

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

employed

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

execution

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

felt

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

few

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

girl

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

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

heart

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

home

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

hope

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

hours

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

ill

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

information

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

inquiry

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

interest

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

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

Irving

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

Joy

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

knowledge

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

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

later

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

loft

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

lying

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

merely

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

Miss

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

mother

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

musician

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

occupied

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

organ

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

personal

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

put

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

rector's

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

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

sent

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

seriously

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

sprung

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

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

St

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

stranger

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

substitute

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

then

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was then that the Baroness put into execution a desire she had to make the personal acquaintance of Joy Irving.

TWO

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

weeks

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

From this reading TWO weeks later the organ loft of St Blank’s Church was occupied by a stranger.

wild

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

From this reading For a few hours the Baroness felt a wild hope in her heart that Miss Irving had been sent away.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The desire had sprung into life with the knowledge of the rector’s interest in the girl.

young

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

From this reading But inquiry elicited the information that the young musician had merely employed a substitute because her mother was lying seriously ill at home.