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Sylvie and Bruno
Sylvie and Bruno

Chapter XVI · A Changed Crocodile

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Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.
I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.
Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.
They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.
'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!
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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.

Sylvie and Bruno

Chapter XVI · A Changed Crocodile

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.
Line 2
I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.
Line 3
Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.
Line 4
They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.
Line 5
'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

Learner Dictionary

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

Beneath preposition US /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading “They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.”

Mysterious adjective US /mɪˈstɪriəs/

difficult to explain or understand

From this reading “The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!”

Passed noun US /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.”

Second noun US /second/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!”

All words in this reading · 90

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 turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

age

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

all

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

chance

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

chat

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

Common-place

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

conceal

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

conventional

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

cup

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

delightfully

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

direction

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

doubt

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

drawing-rooms

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

Earl's

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

fashionable

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

father

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

feelings

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

find

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

five

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

folk

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

gave

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

give

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

head

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

hour

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

house

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

impenetrable

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

Iron

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

knew

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

Lady

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

London

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

Man

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

marvel

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

Marvellous

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

mask

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

meet

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

modern

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

moment

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

Muriel

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

MysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

difficult to explain or understand

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

now

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

out

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

own

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

passednounUS /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

placidity

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

possess

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

quiet

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

rarity

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

ready

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

reigned

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

second

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

supreme

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

tea

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Marvellous--the Mysterious--had quite passed out of my life for the moment: and the Common-place reigned supreme.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

turn

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

turned

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

warm

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

welcome

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

From this reading Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.

witching

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

From this reading I turned in the direction of the Earl's house, as it was now 'the witching hour' of five, and I knew I should find them ready for a cup of tea and a quiet chat.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading 'The Man with the Iron Mask' was, no doubt, a rarity and a marvel in his own age: in modern London no one would turn his head to give him a second look!