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Drift from Two Shores
Drift from Two Shores

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Drift from Two Shores
Context Illustration Reading 1/296 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.
The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.
Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.
At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.
He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.
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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.

Drift from Two Shores

Chapter I

Reading 1/296 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.
Line 2
The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.
Line 3
Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.
Line 4
At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.
Line 5
He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.

Learner Dictionary

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

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.”

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.”

Broken noun US /broken/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.”

Glare noun US /glare/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.”

Shadow noun US /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading “At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.”

Sudden noun US /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.”

All words in this reading · 87

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 He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

all

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

away

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

bamboo

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

banks

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

battered

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

broke

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

brokennounUS /broken/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

cast-up

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

covered

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

crates

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

curves

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

emptied

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

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

estuary

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

film

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

flurry

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.

fragments

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

freight

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

fringes

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

glarenounUS /glare/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

gray

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

green

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

high

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

inland

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

land

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

lay

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

level

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

lived

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

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

Logs

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

lost

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

low

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

monotonous

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

narrow

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

noon

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

ocean

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

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

odorous

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

offerings

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

orange

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

overlappings

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

rafts

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

river

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

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

sandpipers

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

sands

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

saplings

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

sea

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

seagull's

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

shadows

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

shining

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

shore

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

squall

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

strip

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

successive

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

suddennounUS /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He lived beside a river that emptied into a great ocean.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

there

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

From this reading He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.

tide

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

tiny

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

twelvemonth

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

From this reading He had lived there alone for a twelvemonth.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

washed

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

water

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

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

wing

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

From this reading At high noon the shadow of a seagull's wing, or a sudden flurry and gray squall of sandpipers, themselves but shadows, was all that broke the monotonous glare of the level sands.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The narrow strip of land that lay between him and the estuary was covered at high tide by a shining film of water, at low tide with the cast-up offerings of sea and shore.

wrecks

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

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Logs yet green, and saplings washed away from inland banks, battered fragments of wrecks and orange crates of bamboo, broken into tiny rafts yet odorous with their lost freight, lay in long successive curves,--the fringes and overlappings of the sea.