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An Ocean Tragedy
An Ocean Tragedy

Chapter XXXII

Cover illustration for An Ocean Tragedy
Context Illustration Reading 1/62 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE GALLEON’S HOLD.
I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.
Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.
She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.
She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.
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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 Ocean Tragedy

Chapter XXXII

Reading 1/62 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE GALLEON’S HOLD.
Line 2
I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.
Line 3
Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.
Line 4
She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.
Line 5
She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

Learner Dictionary

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

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.”

Glare noun US /glare/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.”

Rest noun US /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.”

Shadow noun US /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading “She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.”

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 I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

better

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

chest

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

complexion

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

Death

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

deep

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

delicate

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

dewdrops

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

dimmed

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

eyes

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

fall

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

fingers

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

fixed

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

freed

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

fresher

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

GALLEON'S

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

From this reading THE GALLEON’S HOLD.

gaze

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

glarenounUS /glare/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

golden

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

gone

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

greenish

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

hair

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

haziness

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

HOLD

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

From this reading THE GALLEON’S HOLD.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

jewels

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

Laura's

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

lightly

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

like

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

met

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

night's

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

opened

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

pale

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

restnounUS /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

rich

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

risen

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

sat

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

seaman's

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

seated

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

sleep

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

smoothing

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

somewhat

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

sparkled

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

sparkles

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

sun

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE GALLEON’S HOLD.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

too

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

tresses

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

up

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

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Death must be like such sleep as that, thought I. I sat up and met Laura’s gaze fixed upon me.

violet

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was seated on a seaman’s chest lightly smoothing her hair, and the jewels on her fingers sparkled like dewdrops on the golden fall of her tresses.

woke

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

From this reading I woke from a deep sleep, and opened my eyes against the glare of the risen sun.

yesterday

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

From this reading She looked the better for the night’s rest, her complexion fresher, her eyes freed of the delicate haziness that had yesterday somewhat dimmed their rich violet sparkles; the pale greenish shadow under them, too, was gone.