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John Barleycorn
John Barleycorn

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for John Barleycorn
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.
Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.
When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.
Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.
But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.
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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.

John Barleycorn

Chapter VII

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.
Line 2
Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.
Line 3
When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.
Line 4
Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.
Line 5
But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

Learner Dictionary

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

Added noun US /added/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.”

Ere conjunction US /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading “Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.”

Required noun US /required/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

actual

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

addednounUS /added/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

barely

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

bed

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

cannery

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

day

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

dressing

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

drowsed

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

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

eating

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

eyes

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

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

fifteen

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

getting

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

going

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

healthy

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

home

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

hour

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

hours

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

knock

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

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

machine

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

managed

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

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

many

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

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

midnight

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

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

Month

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

more

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

night

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

nine

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

noon

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

off

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

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

out

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

reading

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

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

remains

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

requirednounUS /required/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

shortest

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

shut

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

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

sleep

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

steal

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

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

ten

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

there

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Out of those nine hours, after I was in bed and ere my eyes drowsed shut, I managed to steal a little time for reading.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

turned

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

twenty-four

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

undressing

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading But many a night I did not knock off work until midnight.

up

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

walking

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

work

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.

worked

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

From this reading Month in and month out, the shortest day I ever worked was ten hours.

working

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

From this reading I was barely turned fifteen, and working long hours in a cannery.

youngster

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

From this reading When to ten hours of actual work at a machine is added the noon hour; the walking to work and walking home from work; the getting up in the morning, dressing, and eating; the eating at night, undressing, and going to bed, there remains no more than the nine hours out of the twenty-four required by a healthy youngster for sleep.