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Around the End
Around the End

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for Around the End
Context Illustration Reading 1/61 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.
Harry was already in the water.
Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.
He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.
Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.
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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.

Around the End

Chapter VI

Reading 1/61 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.
Line 2
Harry was already in the water.
Line 3
Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.
Line 4
He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.
Line 5
Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

Learner Dictionary

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

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.”

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.”

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Harry was already in the water.”

Another noun US /ˈanother/

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

From this reading “THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.”

Cried noun US /cried/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.”

Shadow noun US /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading “THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.”

All words in this reading · 58

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

afloat

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

almost

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Harry was already in the water.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

black

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

breast

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

breath

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

buoyed

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

choked

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

close

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

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

clutching

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

combing

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

cork-filled

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

criednounUS /cried/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

cushion

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

decided

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

ears

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

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

felt

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

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

fighting

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

Gerald

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

glance

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

Harry

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

From this reading Harry was already in the water.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

heard

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

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

hesitated

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

holding

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Harry was already in the water.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

Kendall

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

leaped

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

poised

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

RESCUE

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

surge

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

From this reading He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears.

swallowed

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

Then

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped.

towering

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

From this reading THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him.

up

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

From this reading Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Harry was already in the water.

water

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

From this reading Harry was already in the water.