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Friarswood Post Office
Friarswood Post Office

Chapter IX

Cover illustration for Friarswood Post Office
Context Illustration Reading 1/61 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
There was no helping it!
People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.
'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.
Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'
'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'
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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.

Friarswood Post Office

Chapter IX

Reading 1/61 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
There was no helping it!
Line 2
People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.
Line 3
'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.
Line 4
Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'
Line 5
'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.”

Duty noun US /ˈduːti/

a responsibility that must be carried out

From this reading “People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'”

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

Blackthorn

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

bones

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

chaps

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

a responsibility that must be carried out

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

exhortations

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

getting

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

go

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

Harold

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

helping

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

From this reading There was no helping it!

Here's

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

hoping

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There was no helping it!

letter

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

letters

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

lost

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

maybe

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

From this reading 'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.

money

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

month

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

more

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

mother

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

mounted

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading There was no helping it!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

off

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

Paul

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

People

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

pony

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

public

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

Ragglesford

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

registered

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

rose

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

ruefully

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

said

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

From this reading 'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.

servant

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

sighed

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

skin

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

some

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

There

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

From this reading There was no helping it!

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

two

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

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

up

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

wait

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

From this reading 'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading There was no helping it!

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading People must have their letters whether Paul Blackthorn were lost or not, and Harold was a servant of the public, and must do his duty, so after some exhortations from his mother, he ruefully rose up, hoping that he should not have to go to Ragglesford.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading 'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Here's a registered letter, and I think there are two more with money in them.'

working

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

From this reading 'To think,' sighed Harold, as he mounted his pony, 'of them little chaps getting more money for nothing, than Paul did in a month by working the skin off his bones!'

Yes

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

From this reading 'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading 'Yes, you will,' said his mother, 'and maybe to wait.