Chapter X
'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?' I cried, astonished. 'Run away? How could I? I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
Miss Cayley's Adventures
Chapter X
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
'But
did
you
never
try
to
run
away
to
the
Nile?'
I
cried,
astonished.
'Run
away?
How
could
I?
I
did
not
even
know
which
way
the
river
lay;
and
was
it
possible
for
me
to
cross
the
desert
on
foot,
or
find
the
chance
of
a
camel?
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
'But
did
you
never
try
to
run
away
to
the
Nile?'
Line 2
I
cried,
astonished.
/aɪ cried əˈstɑːnɪʃt/
Line 3
'Run
away?
Line 4
How
could
I?
Line 5
I
did
not
even
know
which
way
the
river
lay;
and
was
it
possible
for
me
to
cross
the
desert
on
foot,
or
find
the
chance
of
a
camel?
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Astonished
adjective
US /əˈstɑːnɪʃt/
very surprised
From this reading “I cried, astonished.”
Could
modal verb
US /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “How could I?”
Cried
noun
US /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I cried, astonished.”
Even
noun
US /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?”
Foot
noun
US /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?”
Know
noun
US /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?”
Never
noun
US /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'”
All words in this reading · 38
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 did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
astonishedadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃt/
very surprised
From this reading I cried, astonished.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
camel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
chance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading How could I?
criednounUS /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I cried, astonished.
cross
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
desert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How could I?
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I cried, astonished.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
Nile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
river
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I did not even know which way the river lay; and was it possible for me to cross the desert on foot, or find the chance of a camel?
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'But did you never try to run away to the Nile?'