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Long Live the King!
Long Live the King!

Chapter XXIV · The Gate of the Moon

Cover illustration for Long Live the King!
Context Illustration Reading 1/73 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.
In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.
The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.
He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.
“You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.
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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.

Long Live the King!

Chapter XXIV · The Gate of the Moon

Reading 1/73 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.
Line 2
In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.
Line 3
The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.
Line 4
He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.
Line 5
“You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading ““You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.”

Beneath preposition US /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading ““You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.”

Insisted verb US /ɪnˈsɪstɪd/

demanded something firmly

From this reading “He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.”

Within preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.”

Wonderful noun US /ˈwonderful/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading ““You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.”

All words in this reading · 80

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 A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

Adelbert

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

adorned

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

air

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

asphyxiated

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

away

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

baleful

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

Bobby

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

Bobby's

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

booth

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

boy

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

breathed

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

brushed

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

burner

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

care

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

charcoal

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

cleanliness

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

curious

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

cut

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

don't

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

earnestly

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

effects

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

fed

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

fire

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

floor

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

fresh

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

friendship

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

fumes

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

heard

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

hours

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

hung

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

illustrated

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

insistedverbUS /ɪnˈsɪstɪd/

demanded something firmly

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

more

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

now

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

off

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

old

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

papers

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

particular

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

pictures

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

say

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

school

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

see

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

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

small

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

sprung

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

swept

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

Thorpe

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

ticket-taker's

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

up

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

From this reading A curious friendship had sprung up between old Adelbert and Bobby Thorpe.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The small charcoal fire was Bobby’s particular care.

watched

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

From this reading He fed and watched it, and having heard of the baleful effects of charcoal fumes, insisted on more fresh air than old Adelbert had ever breathed before.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

wonderfulnounUS /ˈwonderful/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading In off hours, after school, the boy hung about the ticket-taker’s booth, swept now to a wonderful cleanliness and adorned within with pictures cut from the illustrated papers.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You see,” Bobby would say earnestly, as he brushed away at the floor beneath the burner, “you don’t know that you are being asphyxiated.