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O Pioneers!
O Pioneers!

Chapter II

Chapter 2, section 1: Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died. His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields. Could he
Context Illustration Reading 1/305 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.
His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.
Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.
The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.
From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.
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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.

O Pioneers!

Chapter II

Reading 1/305 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.
Line 2
His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.
Line 3
Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.
Line 4
The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.
Line 5
From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

Beneath preposition US /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

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

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

John noun US /john/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.”

All words in this reading · 70

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 The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

asleep

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

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

bed

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

Bergson

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

checker-board

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

coat

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

corn

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

Couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

country

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

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

dark

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

died

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

Fields

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

forever

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

gleams

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

graves

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

graveyard

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

John

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

lies

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

lifted

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

light

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

looks

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

marked

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

marks

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

Neighboring

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

Norwegian

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

now

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

off

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

out

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

prairie

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

rise

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

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

shaft

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

shaggy

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

sixteen

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.

squares

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

vanished

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

From this reading The shaggy coat of the prairie, which they lifted to make him a bed, has vanished forever.

vast

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

wheat

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

From this reading From the Norwegian graveyard one looks out over a vast checker-board, marked off in squares of wheat and corn; light and dark, dark and light.

wheat-fields

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

white

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

wife

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

From this reading His wife now lies beside him, and the white shaft that marks their graves gleams across the wheat-fields.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Could he rise from beneath it, he would not know the country under which he has been asleep.

years

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

From this reading Neighboring Fields I IT is sixteen years since John Bergson died.