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The Machine
The Machine

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for The Machine
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
LAURA.
[In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.
Our points of view are too different.
GRIMES.
[Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.
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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 Machine

Chapter VII

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
LAURA.
Line 2
[In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.
Line 3
Our points of view are too different.
Line 4
GRIMES.
Line 5
[Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

Learner Dictionary

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

Different noun US /ˈdifferent/

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

From this reading “Our points of view are too different.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “[In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.”

Question noun US /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading “[In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “[In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.”

All words in this reading · 36

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 [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

ask

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

best

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

differentnounUS /ˈdifferent/

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

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

discuss

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

Grimes

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

LAURA

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

From this reading LAURA.

low

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

ma'am

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

From this reading [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

Mr

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

please

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

From this reading [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

points

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

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

questionnounUS /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

shoulders

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

From this reading [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

Shrugs

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

From this reading [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

too

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

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

view

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

From this reading Our points of view are too different.

voice

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

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you did not ask me to discuss this question.