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Ships That Pass in the Night
Ships That Pass in the Night

Chapter XII

Cover illustration for Ships That Pass in the Night
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A DOMESTIC SCENE.
ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.
"Take your cloak off," he said sharply.
"You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.
You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."
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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.

Ships That Pass in the Night

Chapter XII

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A DOMESTIC SCENE.
Line 2
ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.
Line 3
"Take your cloak off," he said sharply.
Line 4
"You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.
Line 5
You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

Learner Dictionary

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

Afternoon noun US /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading “ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."”

ONE pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.”

Sharply noun US /ˈsharply/

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

From this reading “"Take your cloak off," he said sharply.”

Surprised noun US /surprised/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.”

Take noun US /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Take your cloak off," he said sharply.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."”

All words in this reading · 48

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 DOMESTIC SCENE.

afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

came

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

cannot

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

From this reading "You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.

cloak

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

From this reading "Take your cloak off," he said sharply.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

DOMESTIC

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

From this reading A DOMESTIC SCENE.

don't

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

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

drive

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

From this reading "You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

give

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

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

go

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

From this reading "You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.

going

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

good-bye

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

husband

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

manner

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

Mrs

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

off

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

From this reading "Take your cloak off," he said sharply.

often

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

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

ONEpronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

out

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

Reffold

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

said

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

From this reading "Take your cloak off," he said sharply.

say

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

SCENE

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

From this reading A DOMESTIC SCENE.

sharplynounUS /ˈsharply/

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

From this reading "Take your cloak off," he said sharply.

sledge-drive

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

surprisednounUS /surprised/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

TakenounUS /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Take your cloak off," he said sharply.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

to-day

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

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

unwonted

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

up

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

From this reading You don't often give up your time to me; you must do so to-day."

usual

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

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading ONE afternoon when Mrs. Reffold came to say good-bye to her husband before going out for the usual sledge-drive, he surprised her by his unwonted manner.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You cannot go for your drive this afternoon.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Take your cloak off," he said sharply.