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The Enchanted Horse of Ebony and Ivory
The Enchanted Horse of Ebony and Ivory

Chapter IV

Chapter 4, section 1: Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me. There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seeme
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
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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 Enchanted Horse of Ebony and Ivory

Chapter IV

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
Line 2
There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
Line 3
Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
Line 4
The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
Line 5
In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

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 “Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.”

Directly noun US /ˈdirectly/

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

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.”

Ship noun US /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

Stopped noun US /stopped/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

Watered noun US /ˈwatered/

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

From this reading “There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.”

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.”

All words in this reading · 83

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 There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

branches

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

carrying

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

cast

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

contain

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

covered

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

creek

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

digging

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

directlynounUS /ˈdirectly/

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

distance

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

down

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

dressed

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

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

feel

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

foes

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

friends

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

fruit

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

hid

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

hoped

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

island

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

knowing

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

landed

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

lifted

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

mainland

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

making

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

middle

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

NextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

pickaxes

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

ran

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

reach

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

sailors

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

saw

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

shipnounUS /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

slaves

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

some

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

spades

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

stoppednounUS /stopped/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

streams

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

ten

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

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

There

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

thick

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.

trapdoor

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

tree

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

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

trees

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

up

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

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

waterednounUS /ˈwatered/

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.