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The Swan and the Goose
The Swan and the Goose

Chapter I · Act 01: The Discourse of The Swan and the Goose — The Origin & The Dilemma

Act 01: The Discourse of The Swan and the Goose — The Origin & The Dilemma, section 1: A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan. He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song. When the time came for killing the Goose, the
Context Illustration Reading 1/1 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.
He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.
When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.
By mistake he caught the Swan instead of the Goose.
The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.
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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 Swan and the Goose

Chapter I · Act 01: The Discourse of The Swan and the Goose — The Origin & The Dilemma

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

Line 1
A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.
Line 2
He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.
Line 3
When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.
Line 4
By mistake he caught the Swan instead of the Goose.
Line 5
The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

Learner Dictionary

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

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.”

All words in this reading · 60

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 A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

able

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

bird

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

bought

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

burst

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By mistake he caught the Swan instead of the Goose.

came

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

caught

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

From this reading By mistake he caught the Swan instead of the Goose.

CERTAIN

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

cook

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

dark

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

death

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

distinguish

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

fed

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

forth

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

get

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

Goose

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

instead

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

From this reading By mistake he caught the Swan instead of the Goose.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

kept

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

killing

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

known

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

made

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

man

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

market

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

melody

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

mistake

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

From this reading By mistake he caught the Swan instead of the Goose.

night

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

other

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

preserved

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

rich

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

sake

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

song

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

Swan

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

table

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

From this reading He fed the one for his table and kept the other for the sake of its song.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A CERTAIN rich man bought in the market a Goose and a Swan.

threatened

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

thus

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

voice

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

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the time came for killing the Goose, the cook went to get him at night, when it was dark, and he was not able to distinguish one bird from the other.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Swan, threatened with death, burst forth into song and thus made himself known by his voice, and preserved his life by his melody.

Chapter Quiz

What is the central philosophical inquiry and narrative progression in 'Act 01: The Discourse of The Swan and the Goose — The Origin & The Dilemma'?

How does the prose style reflect classical academic excellence?

What primary language acquisition value does this text offer advanced English scholars?