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Young Lives
Young Lives

Chapter XXII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.
Rhododendrons one can understand.
They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.
But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?
Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Young Lives

Chapter XXII

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.
Line 2
Rhododendrons one can understand.
Line 3
They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.
Line 4
But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?
Line 5
Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

Learner Dictionary

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

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?”

FIRST noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Rhododendrons one can understand.”

Rest noun US /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.”

Understand noun US /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Rhododendrons one can understand.”

All words in this reading · 55

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 MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

bourgeoisie

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Rhododendrons one can understand.

consumption

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?

curious

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

Fame

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

FIRSTnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?

front

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

garden

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

gardens

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

growing

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

habit

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

hardly

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?

home

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

kingdom

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

laurel

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

From this reading But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?

laurel-trees

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

LAURELS

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

mahogany

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

market-gardeners

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

MIKE'S

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Rhododendrons one can understand.

only

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

parlour

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

Possibly

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

restnounUS /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

rhododendrons

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

say

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

shrubs

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

Sidon

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

supplied

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

Temple

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

understandnounUS /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Rhododendrons one can understand.

use

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

From this reading But the laurel,--what use could they have for laurel in Sidon?

vegetable

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

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

wear

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading MIKE'S FIRST LAURELS The gardens of Sidon had a curious habit of growing laurel-trees; laurels and rhododendrons were the only wear in shrubs.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading They are to the garden what mahogany is to the front parlour,--the _bourgeoisie_ of the vegetable kingdom.

world

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

From this reading Possibly they supplied it to the rest of the world,--market-gardeners, so to say, to the Temple of Fame; it could hardly be for home consumption.