Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Question
A Question

Chapter III

Cover illustration for A Question
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
LYSANDER.
As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.
A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.
He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.
The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.
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.

A Question

Chapter III

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
LYSANDER.
Line 2
As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.
Line 3
A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.
Line 4
He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.
Line 5
The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

Learner Dictionary

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

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.”

Short adjective US /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading “He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

actors

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

admittance

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

approached

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

audience

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

balcony

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

big

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

bow-legged

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

call

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

cart

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

city

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

clarinet

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

cocks

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

conjurer

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

donkey

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

drawn

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

dwarfish

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

eyes

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

father's

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

feathered

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

flageolet

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

forehead

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

gay

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

gayly-decked

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

greeted

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

head

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

hens

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

house

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

instrument

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

laughing

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

like

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

lived

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

LYSANDER

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

From this reading LYSANDER.

man

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

monaulus

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

musical

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

neck

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

notes

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

obtained

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

piercing

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

played

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

prominent

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

rested

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

Semestre's

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

shaded

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

showing

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

small

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.

tiny

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

trained

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

tricks

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

two-wheeled

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

very

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

village

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

From this reading The feathered actors lived in a two-wheeled cart, drawn from village to village, and city to city, by a tiny, gayly-decked donkey.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A conjurer had obtained admittance, and was showing his laughing audience the tricks of his trained cocks and hens.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was a dwarfish, bow-legged little man, with a short neck, on which rested a big head with a very prominent forehead, that shaded his small piercing eyes like a balcony.

Xanthe

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

From this reading As Xanthe approached her father's house, Semestre's call and the gay notes of a monaulus--[A musical instrument, played like our flageolet or clarinet]--greeted her.