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A Mountain Boyhood
A Mountain Boyhood

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for A Mountain Boyhood
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.
There was no answer, no one in sight.
As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.
It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.
He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.
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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.

A Mountain Boyhood

Chapter VII

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.
Line 2
There was no answer, no one in sight.
Line 3
As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.
Line 4
It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.
Line 5
He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.”

Continued noun US /ˈcontinued/

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

From this reading “He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.”

Distress noun US /dɪˈstrɛs/

extreme sadness or suffering

From this reading “I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.”

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.”

Help noun US /help/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “There was no answer, no one in sight.”

Terrified adjective US /ˈterəfaɪd/

extremely frightened

From this reading “As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.”

All words in this reading · 72

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

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

answer

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

From this reading There was no answer, no one in sight.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

call

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

calling

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

certainly

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

continuednounUS /ˈcontinued/

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

cries

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

deaf

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

distinctly

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

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

distressnounUS /dɪˈstrɛs/

extreme sadness or suffering

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

heard

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

heart-rending

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

helpnounUS /help/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

high

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

hurried

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

intervals

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

leading

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

listen

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

lungs

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

maddening

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

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading There was no answer, no one in sight.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There was no answer, no one in sight.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

peaks

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

person

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

pursuing

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

reached

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

shouting

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

sight

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

From this reading There was no answer, no one in sight.

slope

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

southward

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

spot

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

steep

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

stopping

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

strange

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

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

stupid

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

terrifiedadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪd/

extremely frightened

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

There

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

From this reading There was no answer, no one in sight.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

top

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

upward

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

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

valley

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

From this reading I hurried across the valley, shouting at intervals, stopping to listen and to look for the person in distress.

very

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading There was no answer, no one in sight.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading As I reached the steep slope, leading upward to the high peaks, I heard terrified, heart-rending cries, southward, toward the spot from which the first call had come.

yelling

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

From this reading He was certainly deaf or very stupid, for he continued calling for help, when help was pursuing him and yelling at the top of its lungs.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading It was strange, and maddening, that I could hear him so distinctly, yet he could not hear me.