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Black Jack
Black Jack

Chapter IX

Cover illustration for Black Jack
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.
A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.
All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.
Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.
Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.
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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 Jack

Chapter IX

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.
Line 2
A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.
Line 3
All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.
Line 4
Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.
Line 5
Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

Learner Dictionary

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

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.”

Blood noun US /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.”

Brought noun US /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading “A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

air

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

All

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

arriving

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

bloodnounUS /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

blot

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

bright

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

buckboard

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

calamity

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

certainly

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

charge

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

commissioned

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

cool

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

Cornish

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

day

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

El

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

estate

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

evening

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

excitement

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

farther

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

flashing

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

fresh

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

furnished

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

guests

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

guided

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

haul

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

horsemen

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

horses

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

keep

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

kept

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

mounts

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

night

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

ones

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

out

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

own

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

parties

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

people

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

place

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

preceding

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

preferred

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

ranch

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

red

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

return

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

roads

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

rode

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

saddle

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

Sangre

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

show

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

sleep

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

smooth

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

stable

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

stir

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

streak

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

sun

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

Terence

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading A bright sun, a cool stir of air, brought in the next morning, and certainly calamity had never seemed farther from the Cornish ranch than it did on this day.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The sleep of the night seemed to blot out the excitement of the preceding evening.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

trip

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

twos

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

From this reading All through the morning people kept arriving in ones and twos.

Vance

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

wagon

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

From this reading Vance took charge of the wagon parties; Terence himself guided the horsemen, and he rode El Sangre, a flashing streak of blood red.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Every buckboard on the place was commissioned to haul the guests around the smooth roads and show them the estate; and those who preferred were furnished with saddle horses from the stable to keep their own mounts fresh for their return trip.