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Back to the Woods
Back to the Woods

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Back to the Woods
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.
Seven, come eleven!
After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.
Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.
Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.
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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.

Back to the Woods

Chapter I

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.
Line 2
Seven, come eleven!
Line 3
After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.
Line 4
Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.
Line 5
Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Seven, come eleven!”

Dream noun US /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading “Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.”

JOHN noun US /john/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.”

Pipe noun US /pipe/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.”

Somebody pronoun US /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading “Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.”

Track noun US /træk/

a route or signs showing the way someone went

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

all

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

asleep

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

Association

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

Bookmakers

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

Boy

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

Builders

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

busiest

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

busy

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

circuit

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

Clara

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Seven, come eleven!

DAYS

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

From this reading JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.

don't

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

DreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

eleven

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

From this reading Seven, come eleven!

fell

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

happened

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

HENRY'S

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

From this reading JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.

how

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

J

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

JOHN

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

From this reading JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.

join

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

just

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

kept

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

laddies

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

laugh

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

light

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

lights

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

LUCKY

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

From this reading JOHN HENRY'S LUCKY DAYS.

matter

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

money

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

pipe

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

promising

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

puff-puff

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

put

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

race

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

Seven

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

From this reading Seven, come eleven!

several

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

somebodypronounUS /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

switch

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

there

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

tracknounUS /træk/

a route or signs showing the way someone went

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.

truth

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

trying

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

weeks

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

Well

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

white

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

From this reading Well, the truth of the matter is just this: I fell asleep at the switch and somebody put the white lights all over me.

Wild

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

Willie

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

From this reading Just how I happened to join the Dream Builders' Association I don't know, but for several weeks I was Willie the Wild Boy at the race track and I kept all the Bookmakers busy trying not to laugh when they took my money.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading After promising Clara J. that I would never again light a pipe at the race track, there I stood, one of the busiest puff-puff laddies on the circuit.