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Battling the Clouds
Battling the Clouds

Chapter XV

Cover illustration for Battling the Clouds
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.
"I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."
"What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.
"Nine o'clock," she said.
"I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."
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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.

Battling the Clouds

Chapter XV

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.
Line 2
"I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."
Line 3
"What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.
Line 4
"Nine o'clock," she said.
Line 5
"I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

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 “"I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."”

Answered noun US /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading “"I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."”

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “"How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."”

Passed noun US /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."”

Remember verb US /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading “"What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.”

Waiting noun US /ˈwaiting/

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

From this reading “"I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."”

All words in this reading · 51

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 "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

answerednounUS /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

away

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

Bill

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

board

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

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

clinging

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

coming

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

crazily

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

dad

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

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

dear

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.

felt

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

frightened

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

home

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

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

How

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

just

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

meeting

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

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

mother

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

Nine

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

From this reading "Nine o'clock," she said.

o'clock

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

From this reading "Nine o'clock," she said.

once

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

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

passednounUS /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

rather

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading "What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.

said

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

From this reading "Nine o'clock," she said.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

steady

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "I just _felt_ it," she answered, "and once I was so frightened about you, but that passed away."

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

tried

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

waiting

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

From this reading "I was waiting for dad to come home from a board meeting."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What time was it, do you remember?" asked Bill.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "How did you know I was coming, mother dear?" asked Bill, clinging rather crazily to her as he tried to steady himself.