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Gabriel Conroy
Gabriel Conroy

Chapter XI

Cover illustration for Gabriel Conroy
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.
A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.
The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.
But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.
In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."
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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.

Gabriel Conroy

Chapter XI

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.
Line 2
A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.
Line 3
The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.
Line 4
But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.
Line 5
In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

Learner Dictionary

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

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.”

Short adjective US /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading “In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.”

All words in this reading · 82

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

1854

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

49

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

From this reading AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

accepted

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

advent

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

aggressively

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

ANdeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

average

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

bluish-grey

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

brief

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

California

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

Californian

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

climate

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

coast

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

Contra

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

Costa

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

dense

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

dim

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

earth

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

embraces

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

fact

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

finest

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

flowers

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

fog

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

fogs

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

Francisco

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

gentle

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

green

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

healthy

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

hidden

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

hills

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

immature

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

impenetrable

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

impress

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

inclined

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

India-inky

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

joyless

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

marked

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

more

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

mountains

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

oats

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.

OLD

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

From this reading AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

outlying

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

PIONEER

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

From this reading AN OLD PIONEER OF '49.

raw

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

rigidity

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

San

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

scarcely

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

seen

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

spring

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

staring

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

stranger

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

summer

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

there

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

thick

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

From this reading A thick fog, dense, impenetrable, bluish-grey and raw, marked the advent of the gentle summer of 1854 on the California coast.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

uncomfortable

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

veil

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

waxen

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

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

weather

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

From this reading In short, the weather was so uncomfortable that the average Californian was more than ever inclined to impress the stranger aggressively with the fact that fogs were healthy, and that it was the "finest climate on the earth."

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

wild

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

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But the wild oats were hidden under a dim India-inky veil, and the wild flowers accepted the joyless embraces of the fog with a staring waxen rigidity.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading The brief immature spring was scarcely yet over; there were flowers still to be seen on the outlying hills around San Francisco, and the wild oats were yet green on the Contra Costa mountains.