Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Better Dead
Better Dead

Chapter IX

Cover illustration for Better Dead
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Tie this muffler round your neck."
It was the president who spoke.
Andrew held his thesis in his hand.
"But the rooms are so close," he said.
"That has nothing to do with it," said the president.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Better Dead

Chapter IX

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Tie this muffler round your neck."
Line 2
It was the president who spoke.
Line 3
Andrew held his thesis in his hand.
Line 4
"But the rooms are so close," he said.
Line 5
"That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

Learner Dictionary

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

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Andrew held his thesis in his hand.”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

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

From this reading “"That has nothing to do with it," said the president.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “"That has nothing to do with it," said the president.”

All words in this reading · 31

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

Andrew

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

From this reading Andrew held his thesis in his hand.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

close

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

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

hand

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

From this reading Andrew held his thesis in his hand.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading "That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

held

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

From this reading Andrew held his thesis in his hand.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Andrew held his thesis in his hand.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Andrew held his thesis in his hand.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the president who spoke.

muffler

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

From this reading "Tie this muffler round your neck."

neck

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

From this reading "Tie this muffler round your neck."

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading "That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

president

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

From this reading It was the president who spoke.

rooms

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

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

round

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

From this reading "Tie this muffler round your neck."

said

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

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "But the rooms are so close," he said.

spoke

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

From this reading It was the president who spoke.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was the president who spoke.

thesis

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

From this reading Andrew held his thesis in his hand.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "Tie this muffler round your neck."

Tie

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

From this reading "Tie this muffler round your neck."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was the president who spoke.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading It was the president who spoke.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "That has nothing to do with it," said the president.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Tie this muffler round your neck."