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The Call of the Wild
The Call of the Wild

Chapter IV · Chapter 04: Chapter V. The Toil of Trace and Trail

Chapter V.

Chapter 04: Chapter V. The Toil of Trace and Trail, section 1: Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay. They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down. Buck’
Context Illustration Reading 1/68 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.
They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.
Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.
The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.
Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.
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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.

The Call of the Wild

Chapter IV · Chapter 04: Chapter V. The Toil of Trace and Trail

Reading 1/68 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.
Line 2
They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.
Line 3
Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.
Line 4
The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.
Line 5
Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

Learner Dictionary

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

thirty noun US /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading “Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.”

Collocations
Thirty daysA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
days fromA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
All words in this reading · 63

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 They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

arrived

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

Buck

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

Buck's

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

Dawson

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

days

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

deceitnounUS /dɪˈsiːt/

The action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

dogs

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

down

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

dwindled

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

earnest

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

feigned

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

fifteen

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

fore

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

forty

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

hundred

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

hurt

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

leg

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

lifetime

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

lighter

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

limping

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

lost

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

Mail

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

malingerer

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

matesnounUS /mates/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

more

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

now

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

often

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

out

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

Pike

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

pounds

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

relatively

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

restnounUS /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

Salt

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

Skaguay

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

state

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

successfully

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

ThirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Buck’s one hundred and forty pounds had dwindled to one hundred and fifteen.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

Water

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

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

weight

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

From this reading The rest of his mates, though lighter dogs, had relatively lost more weight than he.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Pike, the malingerer, who, in his lifetime of deceit, had often successfully feigned a hurt leg, was now limping in earnest.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Thirty days from the time it left Dawson, the Salt Water Mail, with Buck and his mates at the fore, arrived at Skaguay.

wornverbUS /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

wretched

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

From this reading They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

Chapter Quiz

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Chapter 04: Chapter V. The Toil of Trace and Trail?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "Chapter V....", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Narrator: Chapter V.
Narrator: worker.