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Blake's Burden
Blake's Burden

Chapter XXX

Cover illustration for Blake's Burden
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.
The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.
"Had you good sport?" he asked.
"You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."
"We made a fair bag.
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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 XXX

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

Line 1
A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.
Line 2
The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.
Line 3
"Had you good sport?" he asked.
Line 4
"You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."
Line 5
"We made a fair bag.

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 “The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.”

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Had you good sport?" he asked.”

Fair noun US /fair/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"We made a fair bag.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “"You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “"You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."”

QUESTION noun US /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading “A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.”

Returned noun US /ˈreturned/

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

From this reading “A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.”

Shooting noun US /ˈshooting/

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

From this reading “A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.”

Standing noun US /ˈstanding/

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

From this reading “"You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."”

All words in this reading · 56

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 DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

afternoon's

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Had you good sport?" he asked.

bag

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

From this reading "We made a fair bag.

big

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

Blake

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

chair

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

Challoner

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

Chudleigh's

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

cold

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

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

Colonel

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

covers

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

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

DIFFICULT

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

evening

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

fairnounUS /fair/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "We made a fair bag.

fire

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

Foster

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

heavy

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

just

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

leather

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

made

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

From this reading "We made a fair bag.

Mrs

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

near

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

QUESTIONnounUS /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

returnednounUS /ˈreturned/

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

rug

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

sent

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

shootingnounUS /ˈshooting/

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

sitting

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

sport

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

From this reading "Had you good sport?" he asked.

standingnounUS /ˈstanding/

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

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

very

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

From this reading "You must have found it very cold standing about the covers."

visit

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

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "We made a fair bag.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A DIFFICULT QUESTION On the evening after Mrs. Chudleigh's visit, Challoner sent for Blake, who had just returned from an afternoon's shooting with Foster.

wrapped

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

From this reading The Colonel was sitting in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavy rug wrapped about him.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Had you good sport?" he asked.