Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Divine Fire
The Divine Fire

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for The Divine Fire
Context Illustration Reading 1/77 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.
Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.
Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.
For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.
The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.
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 Divine Fire

Chapter VI

Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.
Line 2
Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.
Line 3
Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.
Line 4
For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.
Line 5
The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

Learner Dictionary

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

Below preposition US /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading “For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.”

All words in this reading · 57

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 tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

beacon

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

boarding-house

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

burning

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

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

curbstone

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

dangerous

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

dangers

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

door

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

Downey

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

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

Downey's

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

drunk

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

escaping

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

fan-light

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

flowed

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

gas

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

glimmer

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

grey

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

Guided

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

houses

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

jet

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

kept

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

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

made

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

many

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

Mr

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

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

Mrs

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

precipice

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

reached

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

rested

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

Rickman

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

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

rocking

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

rolled

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

shimmering

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

stream

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

street

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

there

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

From this reading Mrs. Downey kept it burning there for Mr. Rickman.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Guided by this beacon, he reached his door, escaping many dangers.

tiny

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas made a glimmer in the fan-light of Mrs. Downey's boarding-house next door.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

too

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading For the curbstone was a rocking precipice, and the street below it a grey and shimmering stream, that rolled, and flowed, and rolled, and never rested.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The houses, too, were so drunk as to be dangerous.