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What Necessity Knows
What Necessity Knows

Chapter II

Cover illustration for What Necessity Knows
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.
The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.
The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.
The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.
There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.
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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.

What Necessity Knows

Chapter II

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.
Line 2
The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.
Line 3
The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.
Line 4
The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.
Line 5
There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.”

Passed noun US /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.”

Thin adjective US /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading “The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.”

All words in this reading · 70

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 The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

away

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

bear

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

bright

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

Canadian

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

clearing

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

cold

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

create

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

crystal

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

day

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

earth

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

edge

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

encircled

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

fall

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

farm

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

forest

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

frozen

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

Gaspe

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

gathering

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

hills

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

ice

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

Indian

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

lake

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

late

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

lay

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

leaves

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

lingers

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

lonely

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

Matapediac

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

near

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

November

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

passednounUS /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

Peninsula

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

places

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

prison

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

quiet

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

ready

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

region

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

rivers

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

rolled

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

shining

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

slope

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

small

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

snow

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

soon

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

summer

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

sun

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

surface

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Indian summer, that lingers in the Canadian forest after the fall of the leaves, had passed away.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

There

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The earth lay frozen, ready to bear the snow.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

Valley

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

waters

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

west

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

From this reading The bright sun of a late November day was shining upon a small lake that lay in the lonely region to the west of the Gaspe Peninsula near the Matapediac Valley.

wild

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

From this reading There was one farm clearing on a slope of the wild hills that encircled the lake.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The rivers, with edge of thin ice upon their quiet places, rolled, gathering into the surface of their waters the cold that would so soon create their crystal prison.