Chapter V
And then, of what use would it be to go? My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him. And my sister Louise? Where is she now? I do not know.
A Chambermaid's Diary
Chapter V
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
And
then,
of
what
use
would
it
be
to
go?
My
brother
is
in
the
naval
service,
and
his
vessel
is
in
China,
I
believe,
for
it
is
a
very
long
time
since
we
had
any
news
from
him.
And
my
sister
Louise?
Where
is
she
now?
I
do
not
know.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
And
then,
of
what
use
would
it
be
to
go?
Line 2
My
brother
is
in
the
naval
service,
and
his
vessel
is
in
China,
I
believe,
for
it
is
a
very
long
time
since
we
had
any
news
from
him.
Line 3
And
my
sister
Louise?
Line 4
Where
is
she
now?
Line 5
I
do
not
know.
/aɪ duː nɑːt know/
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Believe
noun
US /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.”
Know
noun
US /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I do not know.”
Long
noun
US /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.”
Since
preposition
US /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.”
Time
noun
US /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.”
Would
modal verb
US /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “And then, of what use would it be to go?”
All words in this reading · 42
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 My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
brother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
China
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I do not know.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I do not know.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
Louise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And my sister Louise?
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
naval
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I do not know.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where is she now?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
service
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Where is she now?
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
sister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And my sister Louise?
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
use
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
vessel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading My brother is in the naval service, and his vessel is in China, I believe, for it is a very long time since we had any news from him.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?
WhereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Where is she now?
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And then, of what use would it be to go?