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The Covered Wagon
The Covered Wagon

Chapter XXX

Cover illustration for The Covered Wagon
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.
Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.
But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.
Half fanatics?
That may be.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Covered Wagon

Chapter XXX

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.
Line 2
Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.
Line 3
But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.
Line 4
Half fanatics?
Line 5
That may be.
/ðæt meɪ biː/

Learner Dictionary

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

Divided noun US /ˈdivided/

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

From this reading “A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.”

Foot noun US /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Half fanatics?”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “That may be.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.”

All words in this reading · 54

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 MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

afoot

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

all

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading That may be.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

desert

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

dividednounUS /ˈdivided/

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

dust

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

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.

empire

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

faced

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

fanatics

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

From this reading Half fanatics?

flag

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

flew

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

footnounUS /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

FRIENDSHIP

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

gingerly

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

Gray

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

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

grim

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

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.

HalfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Half fanatics?

head

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

kine

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

low-headed

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

many

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

MATTER

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading That may be.

men

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

more

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

new

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

now

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

Once

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.

permanently

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

rawhide

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

sand

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

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.

shoes

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

stepping

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

taking

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That may be.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

toiling

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

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.

train

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

two

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

wagon

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

From this reading But at the head wagon, taking over an empire foot by foot, flew the great flag.

women

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

From this reading A MATTER OF FRIENDSHIP Once more the train, now permanently divided into two, faced the desert, all the men and many women now afoot, the kine low-headed, stepping gingerly in their new rawhide shoes.

work

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

From this reading Gray, grim work, toiling over the dust and sand.