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Ancestors: A Novel
Ancestors: A Novel

Chapter XIII

Cover illustration for Ancestors: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
"Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
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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.

Ancestors: A Novel

Chapter XIII

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
Line 2
"Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
Line 3
Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
Line 4
They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
Line 5
Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “"These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.”

Thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.”

Till preposition US /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “"Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.”

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 took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

aristocratic

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

bad

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

calm

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

car

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

Chinatown

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

contemptuously

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

down

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

enough

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

exhibition

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

faint

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

HerenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

Hill

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

humbler

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

Jackson

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

just

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

light

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

Lots

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

men

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

much

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

music

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

Nob

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

precinct

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

quarters

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

reached

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

real

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

reality

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

respectability

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

rode

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

sacred

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

said

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

show

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

slime

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

Stone

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

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

stories

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

strains

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

Street

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

tall

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

From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

then

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

there

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

up

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

varying

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

From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.

Wait

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

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.