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Barbarians
Barbarians

Chapter XXIII

Cover illustration for Barbarians
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.
What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?
Had the other moths which he released done so, too?
They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.
He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.
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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.

Barbarians

Chapter XXIII

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.
Line 2
What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?
Line 3
Had the other moths which he released done so, too?
Line 4
They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.
Line 5
He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

Learner Dictionary

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

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.”

Below preposition US /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading “MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Had the other moths which he released done so, too?”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.”

All words in this reading · 69

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 had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

away

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

battering

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

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

big

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

clattering

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

closed

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

continue

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

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

darkness

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

darted

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

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

DEATH

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

Death's

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

flown

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

From this reading He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

fluttered

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

garnished

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

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

hanging

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

Head

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

MADAM

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

man

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

moth

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

moths

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

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

night

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

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

north

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

From this reading He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

obstinately

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

other

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

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

out

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

persistently

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

possessed

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

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

released

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

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

reply

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

robe

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

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

room

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

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

see

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

From this reading He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

sill

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

supposed

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

From this reading He supposed they had flown north; he had not looked out to see.

switch

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

There

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

tissue

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

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

too

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

From this reading Had the other moths which he released done so, too?

trying

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

window

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.

wings

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

From this reading What possessed the moth to continue battering its wings at the window of the room below?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading They had darted out of his room into the night, each garnished with a tissue robe.

young

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

From this reading MADAM DEATH There was no reply, because the young man was hanging out over his window sill in the darkness trying to switch away, from her closed window below, the big, clattering Death’s Head moth which obstinately and persistently fluttered there.