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The Last Leaf
The Last Leaf

Chapter I · Part 1: The Last Leaf

Read and study this complete chapter with synchronized narration, pronunciation, and vocabulary support.

In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

Greenwich Village's crooked streets and attic studios introduce Sue and Johnsy before pneumonia confines Johnsy to the iron bed by the window.
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called places.”
These places make strange angles and curves.
One street crosses itself a time or two.
An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.
Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!
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Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Last Leaf

Chapter I · Part 1: The Last Leaf

Study this chapter through synchronized reading, listening, pronunciation, and contextual vocabulary.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips calledplaces.”
Line 2
Theseplacesmake strange angles and curves.
Line 3
One street crosses itself a time or two.
Line 4
An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.
Line 5
Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

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

collector noun US /kəˈlektər/

a person whose job is to collect money owed

From this reading “Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!”

district noun US /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

an area of a town with a particular character

From this reading “In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.””

traversing verb US /trəˈvɜːrsɪŋ/

travelling across or through a place

From this reading “Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!”

All words in this reading · 63

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

account

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

An

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

and

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

angles

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

From this reading These “places” make strange angles and curves.

artist

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

back

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

been

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

bill

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

broken

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

called

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

canvas

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

cent

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

collectornounUS /kəˈlektər/

a person whose job is to collect money owed

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

coming

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

crazy

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

crosses

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

curves

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

From this reading These “places” make strange angles and curves.

discovered

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

districtnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

an area of a town with a particular character

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

for

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

have

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

having

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

himself

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

In

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

into

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

itself

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

little

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

make

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

From this reading These “places” make strange angles and curves.

meet

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

of

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

on

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

once

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

One

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

or

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

paid

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

paints

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

paper

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

places

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

possibility

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

route

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

run

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

should

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

small

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

Square

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

strange

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

From this reading These “places” make strange angles and curves.

street

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

streets

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

strips

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

suddenly

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

Suppose

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

the

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

themselves

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

These

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

From this reading These “places” make strange angles and curves.

this

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

time

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

traversingverbUS /trəˈvɜːrsɪŋ/

travelling across or through a place

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

two

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

From this reading One street crosses itself a time or two.

valuable

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

From this reading An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street.

Washington

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

west

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

From this reading In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places.”

with

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

without

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

From this reading Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!

Chapter Quiz

Use these questions to verify literal comprehension before continuing to the next chapter.

What is the central focus and narrative progression in 'Act 01: Greenwich Village & Johnsy's Counting of the Vine Leaves'?

How does the narrator establish the atmosphere and intellectual tone in this section?

What pedagogical insight can an advanced English scholar derive from this passage?