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Carmen's Messenger
Carmen's Messenger

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for Carmen's Messenger
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Foster smiled.
He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.
He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.
They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.
Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.
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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.

Carmen's Messenger

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Foster smiled.
Line 2
He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.
Line 3
He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.
Line 4
They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.
Line 5
Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

Learner Dictionary

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

Besides preposition US /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading “Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.”

Track noun US /træk/

a route or signs showing the way someone went

From this reading “They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.”

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.”

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 Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

antagonists

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

From this reading Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

avoid

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

From this reading Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

BesidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

better

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

bog

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

close

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

conflict

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

From this reading Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

confront

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

differences

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

follow

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

force

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

Foster

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

From this reading Foster smiled.

Graham

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

liked

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

matter

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

men

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Besides, his antagonists might avoid a conflict.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

off

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

overpowered

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

primitive

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

safe

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

savage

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

settle

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

shake

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

shoot

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

smiled

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

From this reading Foster smiled.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

threw

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

From this reading He could not shoot the men, and would be no better off if he overpowered and threw them in the bog.

tired

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

tracknounUS /træk/

a route or signs showing the way someone went

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

treated

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

uncertain

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

wanted

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

way

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

wet

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading They would know where he was and would follow him as close as was safe, while he wanted to shake them off and make them uncertain whether they were on his track or not.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He was tired, wet, and savage, and would have liked to confront Graham and settle their differences by force; but the matter could not be treated in this primitive way.