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Billy Whiskers at the Circus
Billy Whiskers at the Circus

Chapter III

Cover illustration for Billy Whiskers at the Circus
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.
The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.
In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.
You see that Billy was no greenhorn.
He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.
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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.

Billy Whiskers at the Circus

Chapter III

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.
Line 2
The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.
Line 3
In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.
Line 4
You see that Billy was no greenhorn.
Line 5
He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

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 “The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Running noun US /ˈrunning/

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

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.”

All words in this reading · 70

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 MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

all

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

almost

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

awful

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

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

Billy

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

Circus

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

danger

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

deal

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

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

decided

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

didn't

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

entered

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

give

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

go

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

going

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

greenhorn

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

From this reading You see that Billy was no greenhorn.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

happen

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

heard

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

Jack

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

knocked

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

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

MAKING

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

master

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

more

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading You see that Billy was no greenhorn.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

once

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

place

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

places

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

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

PREPARATIONS

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

runningnounUS /ˈrunning/

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

see

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

From this reading You see that Billy was no greenhorn.

some

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

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

sorts

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

telling

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

tight

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

From this reading He had knocked about a great deal and had been in some awful tight places.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

Tom

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

Treat

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

up

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading You see that Billy was no greenhorn.

week

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

Whiskers

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

From this reading MAKING PREPARATIONS Billy Whiskers had more than a week in which to make his preparations to go to the Circus.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading In the first place he didn’t know what might happen to him, and more than once the thought entered his mind that he would be running into all sorts of danger.

Wright

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You see that Billy was no greenhorn.

young

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

From this reading The morning after he had heard Tom Treat, his young master, telling Jack Wright about it, he almost decided to give up going.