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Ben's Nugget
Ben's Nugget

Chapter XV

Cover illustration for Ben's Nugget
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BILL MOSELY REAPPEARS.
It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.
Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.
They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.
They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.
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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.

Ben's Nugget

Chapter XV

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BILL MOSELY REAPPEARS.
Line 2
It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.
Line 3
Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.
Line 4
They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.
Line 5
They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

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 “It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.”

Brought noun US /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading “They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.”

Hands plural noun US /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading “They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.”

Order noun US /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.”

Party noun US /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.”

Poor noun US /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.”

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 It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

agreeable

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

anticipated

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

back

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

become

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

BILL

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

From this reading BILL MOSELY REAPPEARS.

borne

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

came

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

charge

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

Chinaman

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

comfortably

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

cursed

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

explain

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

extraordinary

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

fared

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

fate

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

go

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

Hadley

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

handsplural nounUS /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

hills

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

horses

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

how

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

indirectly

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

interested

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

Ki

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

led

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

legs

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

less

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

loss

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

made

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

meeting

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

MOSELY

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

From this reading BILL MOSELY REAPPEARS.

much

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

mustangs

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

necessary

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

ordernounUS /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

own

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

partynounUS /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

poornounUS /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

REAPPEARS

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

From this reading BILL MOSELY REAPPEARS.

reconciled

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

Sing

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

stolen

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

Tom

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

From this reading Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses.

trouble

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

two

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

use

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

From this reading They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading It will be necessary to go back a little in order to explain how so extraordinary a charge came to be made against the party in which we are interested.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

worse

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly brought them.