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The Mayor's Wife
The Mayor's Wife

Chapter III · Lights--Sounds

Cover illustration for The Mayor's Wife
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.
If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.
Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.
It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.
The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.
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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 Mayor's Wife

Chapter III · Lights--Sounds

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.
Line 2
If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.
Line 3
Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.
Line 4
It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.
Line 5
The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

Learner Dictionary

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

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.”

Mine pronoun US /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

Powers noun US /powers/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.”

Secret noun US /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading “The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.”

Whatever determiner US /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading “The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.”

All words in this reading · 85

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 I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

almost

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

away

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

closed

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

comfortable

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

conviction

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

dispel

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

door

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

experience

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

experienced

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

fear

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

felt

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

full

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

house

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

immediately

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

library

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

made

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

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

many

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

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

mayor

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

misfortunes

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

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

nature

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

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

odd

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

perpetration

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

place

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

powersnounUS /powers/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

practical

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

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

reason

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

reasoning

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

reasserted

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

result

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

room

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

sensation

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

signalized

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

smile

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

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

spot

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

taken

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading It left me almost immediately and my full reasoning powers reasserted themselves; but the experience had been mine and I could not smile it away.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

thoroughly

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

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

tragedy

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

unlike

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

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

very

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

woman

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

From this reading I am by nature a thoroughly practical woman.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If I had not been, the many misfortunes of my life would have made me so.

wrong

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

From this reading The result was a conviction, which even reason could not dispel, that whatever secret tragedy or wrong had signalized this house, its perpetration had taken place in this very room.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet, when the library door closed behind the mayor and I found myself again alone in a spot where I had not felt comfortable from the first, I experienced an odd sensation not unlike fear.