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Gabriel Conroy
Gabriel Conroy

Chapter XXIV

Cover illustration for Gabriel Conroy
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MRS.
CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.
The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.
San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.
No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Gabriel Conroy

Chapter XXIV

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MRS.
Line 2
CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.
Line 3
The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.
Line 4
San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.
Line 5
No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

Learner Dictionary

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

Ashes noun US /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading “No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.”

HAS auxiliary verb US /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.”

All words in this reading · 65

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

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

ANdeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

Bay

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

breeze

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

burning

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

clothed

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

confined

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

CONROY

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

From this reading CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.

Contra

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

Costa

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

currents

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

drooped

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

dull

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

dust

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

eastern

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

fields

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

flow

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

Francisco

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

glittered

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

glowed

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

HASauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.

hills

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

hillsides

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

hot

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

humbly

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

intermediate

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

Joaquin

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

lava-like

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

MRS

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

From this reading MRS.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

oats

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

Pablo

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

rose

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

Sacramento

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

San

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

silently

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

slope

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

sluggish

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

smoke

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

steadily

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

stirred

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

sullenly

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

UNEXPECTED

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

From this reading CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.

valleys

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

VISITOR

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

From this reading CONROY HAS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.

weather

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

From this reading The hot weather had not been confined to San Francisco.

western

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

wheat

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

wild

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.

woods

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

From this reading No breeze stirred the wild oats that drooped on the western slope of the Contra Costa hills; the smoke of burning woods on the eastern hillsides rose silently and steadily; the great wheat fields of the intermediate valleys clothed themselves humbly in dust and ashes.

yellow

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

From this reading San Pablo Bay had glittered, and the yellow currents of the San Joaquin and Sacramento glowed sullenly with a dull sluggish lava-like flow.