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The Highflyers
The Highflyers

Chapter XXVII

Cover illustration for The Highflyers
Context Illustration Reading 1/58 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."
"The house is dark," he said, peering about him.
"I could make nobody hear--until you came.
Where are the lights?"
"Lights!...
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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.

The Highflyers

Chapter XXVII

Reading 1/58 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."
Line 2
"The house is dark," he said, peering about him.
Line 3
"I could make nobody hear--until you came.
Line 4
Where are the lights?"
Line 5
"Lights!...

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “"The house is dark," he said, peering about him.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “"I could make nobody hear--until you came.”

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I could make nobody hear--until you came.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I could make nobody hear--until you came.”

Nobody pronoun US /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading “"I could make nobody hear--until you came.”

Peering verb US /ˈpɪrɪŋ/

looking closely or carefully

From this reading “"The house is dark," he said, peering about him.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “"I could make nobody hear--until you came.”

All words in this reading · 26

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

afraid

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Where are the lights?"

came

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

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.

dark

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

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.

Hildegarde

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

house

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

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

lights

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

From this reading Where are the lights?"

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.

nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.

peeringverbUS /ˈpɪrɪŋ/

looking closely or carefully

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

said

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "The house is dark," he said, peering about him.

tremulously

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "I was alone, alone," Hildegarde said, tremulously, "and I was afraid."

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Where are the lights?"

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I could make nobody hear--until you came.