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Black Is White
Black Is White

Chapter XVI

Cover illustration for Black Is White
Context Illustration Reading 1/68 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.
Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.
A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.
There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.
Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.
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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.

Black Is White

Chapter XVI

Reading 1/68 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.
Line 2
Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.
Line 3
A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.
Line 4
There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.
Line 5
Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.”

Body noun US /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.”

Perspiration noun US /ˌpɜːrspəˈreɪʃən/

sweat produced by the body

From this reading “A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.”

Sharply noun US /ˈsharply/

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

From this reading “Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.”

Start noun US /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.”

Strength noun US /ˈstrength/

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

From this reading “There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.”

All words in this reading · 65

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 Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

all

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

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

apartment

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

aroused

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

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

asleep

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

awoke

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

bed

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

black

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

bodynounUS /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

bolt

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

broke

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

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

clammy

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

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

darkness

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

Desmond

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

desolating

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

dread

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

fallen

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

forsook

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

helplessly

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

insistently

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

jangling

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

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

just

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

LongnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

Lydia

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

midnight

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

NevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

only

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

out

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

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

pall

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

past

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

perspirationnounUS /ˌpɜːrspəˈreɪʃən/

sweat produced by the body

From this reading A clammy perspiration broke out all over her body.

rang

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

sat

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

sharplynounUS /ˈsharply/

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

shivered

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

sleep

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

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

stare

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

startnounUS /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

surrounded

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

telephone

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

telephone-bell

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

From this reading Never before in all her life had she been aroused from sleep by the jangling of a telephone-bell.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Long past midnight the telephone in the Desmond apartment rang sharply, insistently.

There

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

upright

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

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

vestige

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

From this reading There in the darkness she shivered with a dread so desolating that every vestige of strength forsook her and she could only stare helplessly into the black pall that surrounded her.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Lydia, who had just fallen asleep, awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her bed.