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The Long Portage
The Long Portage

Chapter XXI

Cover illustration for The Long Portage
Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.
They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.
"I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.
"Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.
We are sorry to part with you."
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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 Long Portage

Chapter XXI

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.
Line 2
They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.
Line 3
"I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.
Line 4
"Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.
Line 5
We are sorry to part with you."

Learner Dictionary

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

AFTERNOON noun US /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading “THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.”

Believe noun US /ˈbelieve/

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

From this reading “"Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.”

LAST noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “We are sorry to part with you."”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “"I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “"I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.”

All words in this reading · 58

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 THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

AFTERNOONnounUS /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

all

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading We are sorry to part with you."

away

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

believenounUS /ˈbelieve/

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

From this reading "Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.

Bella

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

bright

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

care

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

couldn't

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

Crestwick

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

day

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.

don't

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

down

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

drive

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

explained

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

farewell

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

friendly

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

gave

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

justice

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

From this reading "Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.

LASTnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

leave

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

Lisle

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

Marples

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

meant

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

From this reading "Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.

nice

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading We are sorry to part with you."

say

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

sorry

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

From this reading We are sorry to part with you."

StillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.

talk

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading "Still, to do them justice, I believe they meant it.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

trying

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

turned

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

walked

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

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We are sorry to part with you."

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE LAST AFTERNOON It was a bright day when Lisle took his leave of the Marples.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading They gave him a friendly farewell and when he turned away Bella Crestwick walked with him down the drive.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I don't care what they think; I couldn't talk to you while they were all trying to say something nice," she explained.