Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Tom Ossington's Ghost
Tom Ossington's Ghost

Chapter XV

Cover illustration for Tom Ossington's Ghost
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.
He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.
"Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.
He paused, as if for an answer.
When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.
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.

Tom Ossington's Ghost

Chapter XV

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.
Line 2
He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.
Line 3
"Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.
Line 4
He paused, as if for an answer.
Line 5
When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.”

Drew noun US /drew/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.”

None pronoun US /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading “When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.”

All words in this reading · 50

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading He paused, as if for an answer.

answer

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

From this reading He paused, as if for an answer.

anxiously

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

came

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

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

COMPANION

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

difficult

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

From this reading "Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.

doubtfully

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

drewnounUS /drew/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

fearful

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He paused, as if for an answer.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

glanced

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

gradually

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

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

inch

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

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

paused

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

From this reading He paused, as if for an answer.

said

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

From this reading "Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.

say

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

From this reading "Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.

search

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

see

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

side

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

SOLITUDE

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

some

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

speaking

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

From this reading "Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

timidly

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He glanced about him anxiously from side to side, as if in search of something or some one.

Tom

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

From this reading "Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.

up

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

upright

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

From this reading When none came, he drew himself upright gradually, inch by inch.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE COMPANION OF HIS SOLITUDE When he looked up, it was timidly, doubtfully, as if fearful of what he might see.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading "Tom!--Tom!" he said, speaking it was difficult to say to whom.