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Shipping Clerk
Shipping Clerk

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Shipping Clerk
Context Illustration Reading 1/102 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!
If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.
He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.
He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.
That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.
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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.

Shipping Clerk

Chapter I

Reading 1/102 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!
Line 2
If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.
Line 3
He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.
Line 4
He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.
Line 5
That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

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 “He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.”

Remember verb US /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading “If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.”

Sometimes noun US /sometimes/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.”

Struck noun US /struck/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!”

All words in this reading · 72

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 If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

all

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

alley

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

clothes

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

couldn't

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

distributed

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

doing

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

eyes

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

far

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

flesh

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

forty

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

forty-two

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

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

frame

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

gauntly

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

hadn't

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

heap

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

hundred

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

hungry

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

Keith

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

knew

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

lusterlessly

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

miracle

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

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

nature

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

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

now

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

Ollie

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

past

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

possible

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

pounds

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

resigned

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

resigning

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

rubbish

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

shifting

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

sometimes

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

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

spots

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

strucknounUS /struck/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.

tall

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

there

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

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

walked

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

From this reading He was hungry now as he walked through the alley, his eyes shifting lusterlessly from one heap of rubbish to the next.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

wear

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

From this reading He was hungry through and through, all one hundred and forty pounds of him, the flesh distributed so gauntly over his tall frame that in spots it seemed about to wear through, as his clothes had.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading If there had ever been a time when Ollie Keith hadn't been hungry, it was so far in the past that he couldn't remember it.

work

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading If Ollie knew the work he was doing, he would have resigned--if resigning were possible!

years

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

From this reading That it hadn't done so in forty-two years sometimes struck Ollie as in the nature of a miracle.