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Second Plays
Second Plays

Chapter XV

Cover illustration for Second Plays
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
(As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.
GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.
He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.
As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.
There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)
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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.

Second Plays

Chapter XV

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
(As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.
Line 2
GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.
Line 3
He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.
Line 4
As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.
Line 5
There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)”

Hers pronoun US /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading “There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.”

Speak noun US /speak/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.”

Waiting noun US /ˈwaiting/

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

From this reading “He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.”

All words in this reading · 59

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 There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

absorbed

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

answer

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

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

begins

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

comes

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

curtains

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

door

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

down

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

fidgeting

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

GEORGE

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

gets

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

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

goes

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

looking

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

obviously

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

OLIVIA

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

out

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

pause

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

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

remark

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

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

room

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

says

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

speak

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

stands

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

talk

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

then

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

There

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

From this reading There is a pause after each answer of hers, before he gets out his next remark.)

things

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

turns

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

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

unconcerned

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

up

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

waiting

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

walks

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

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.

way

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

From this reading As she says nothing, he begins to talk himself, but in an obviously unconcerned way.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading GEORGE stands looking after him, and then turns to OLIVIA, who is absorbed in her curtains.

windows

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

From this reading (As he goes out by the windows, GEORGE comes in at the door.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He walks up and down the room, fidgeting with things, waiting for her to speak.