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Blake's Burden
Blake's Burden

Chapter XXVI

Cover illustration for Blake's Burden
Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.
The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.
Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.
The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.
"About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.
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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.

Blake's Burden

Chapter XXVI

Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.
Line 2
The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.
Line 3
Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.
Line 4
The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.
Line 5
"About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “"About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.”

Broken noun US /broken/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.”

Party noun US /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.”

Passage noun US /ˈpassage/

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

From this reading “The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.”

Remember verb US /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading “"About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.”

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 STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

belt

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

billowy

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

blizzard

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

branches

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

brokennounUS /broken/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

clearly

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

DISCOVERY

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

drifts

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

entered

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

fierce

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

force

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

forced

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

frozen

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

fury

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

gale

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

gathered

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

getting

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

ground

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

impressed

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

laid

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

Lane

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

lee

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

light

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

low

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

men

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

muskeg

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

partynounUS /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

passagenounUS /ˈpassage/

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

realized

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

reinforced

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

remarked

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

rounds

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

ruin

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

scene

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

search

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

Sergeant

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

From this reading "About as fierce a blizzard as I remember," Sergeant Lane remarked.

sledge

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

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

small

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

snapped

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

snow

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

some

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

split

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

spots

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

sprang

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

STARTLING

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

storm

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

strewn

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

swaths

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

thicker

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

timber

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

trees

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

trunks

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

uprooted

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The trees were small and sprang from a frozen muskeg so that they could not be uprooted, but the gale had snapped the trunks and laid them low in swaths.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading A STARTLING DISCOVERY It was getting light next morning when the reinforced party entered a belt of thicker timber where they first clearly realized the fury of the storm.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The scene of ruin impressed the men, who were forced to make long rounds in search of a passage for the sledge.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.

withstood

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

From this reading Even in the spots where some had withstood its force the ground was strewn with split and broken branches, to lee of which the snow had gathered in billowy drifts.