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This World Is Taboo
This World Is Taboo

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for This World Is Taboo
Context Illustration Reading 1/91 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.
The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.
"You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.
"I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.
It's got to be done.
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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.

This World Is Taboo

Chapter VI

Reading 1/91 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.
Line 2
The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.
Line 3
"You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.
Line 4
"I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.
Line 5
It's got to be done.

Learner Dictionary

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

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It's got to be done.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “"I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.”

Plainly noun US /ˈplainly/

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

From this reading “The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.”

Tell noun US /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.”

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.”

All words in this reading · 52

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 "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

admitted

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

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

Calhoun

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

denied

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

don't

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

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It's got to be done.

easy

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

else

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

enjoy

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

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

got

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

From this reading It's got to be done.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

head

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

hero

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

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

I'd

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

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

implied

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

From this reading The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.

important

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

It's

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

From this reading It's got to be done.

job

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

From this reading "I'd enjoy it," admitted Calhoun, "but I have a job to do.

Korvan

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.

met

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

more

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

plainlynounUS /ˈplainly/

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

From this reading The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.

protested

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

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

reaction

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

seem

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

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

shook

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

tellnounUS /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

trying

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

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The last was what Calhoun plainly implied.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She shook her head, but it was not easy to tell whether she denied the reaction of Korvan, whom Calhoun had never met, or denied that he was more important to her than anything else.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You don't seem to be trying to be a hero!" she protested.