Chapter VI
MIELA. The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat. She continued smiling. Alan stood up and faced her. He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
The Fire People
Chapter VI
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MIELA.
The
girl
stood
quiet
beside
the
tree,
watching
Alan
as
he
tied
up
his
boat.
She
continued
smiling.
Alan
stood
up
and
faced
her.
He
wondered
what
he
should
say--whether
she
could
understand
him
any
better
than
he
could
her.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
MIELA.
Line 2
The
girl
stood
quiet
beside
the
tree,
watching
Alan
as
he
tied
up
his
boat.
Line 3
She
continued
smiling.
Line 4
Alan
stood
up
and
faced
her.
Line 5
He
wondered
what
he
should
say--whether
she
could
understand
him
any
better
than
he
could
her.
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Beside
preposition
US /bɪˈsaɪd/
next to; at the side of
From this reading “The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.”
Continued
noun
US /ˈcontinued/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “She continued smiling.”
Could
modal verb
US /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.”
Stood
noun
US /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.”
Understand
noun
US /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.”
Whether
conjunction
US /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading “He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.”
Wondered
noun
US /wondered/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.”
All words in this reading · 32
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Alan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Alan stood up and faced her.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/
next to; at the side of
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
boat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
continuednounUS /ˈcontinued/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She continued smiling.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
faced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alan stood up and faced her.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Alan stood up and faced her.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
MIELA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MIELA.
quiet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She continued smiling.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
smiling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She continued smiling.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
tied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
understandnounUS /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.
wonderednounUS /wondered/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He wondered what he should say--whether she could understand him any better than he could her.