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

Chapter IV

Cover illustration for The Long Trick
Context Illustration Reading 1/59 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.
It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.
It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.
The Destroyers were not sorry to see the dawn.
The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.
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 Long Trick

Chapter IV

Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.
Line 2
It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.
Line 3
It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.
Line 4
The Destroyers were not sorry to see the dawn.
Line 5
The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.”

Shadow noun US /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading “The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.”

Throughout preposition US /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading “It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.”

All words in this reading · 68

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 It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

AcrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

ages

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

battered

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

beat

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

breakers

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

bridge-screens

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

came

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

cliffs

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

darkness

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

dawn

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

Death

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

Destroyers

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

faint

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

flotilla

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

frowning

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

funnels

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

gulls

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

labouring

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

landward

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

line

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

lit

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

met

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

mine-sweeping

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

night

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

North

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The Destroyers were not sorry to see the dawn.

ocean's

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

out

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

overtook

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

patiently

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

pulse

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

rolling

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

round

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

salt-crusted

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

Sea

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

see

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

From this reading The Destroyers were not sorry to see the dawn.

ShadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

Sloops

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

sorry

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

From this reading The Destroyers were not sorry to see the dawn.

stormy

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

streak

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

task

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

task-master

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

throughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

THULE

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

thundered

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

ULTIMA

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

From this reading ULTIMA THULE Across the stormy North Sea came the first faint streak of dawn.

unending

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

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

wailed

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The Destroyers were not sorry to see the dawn.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

wind-tossed

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

From this reading It lit the frowning cliffs, round which wind-tossed gulls wailed and breakers had thundered the beat of an ocean's pulse throughout the ages.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It overtook a long line of Destroyers rolling landward with battered bridge-screens and salt-crusted funnels; it met a flotilla of mine-sweeping Sloops, labouring patiently out to their unending task.

worked

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

From this reading The night was their task-master: in darkness they worked and in the Shadow of Death.