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

Chapter XVI · Through the Darkness

Cover illustration for Captain Jim
Context Illustration Reading 1/75 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.
He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.
His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.
From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.
“Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.
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.

Captain Jim

Chapter XVI · Through the Darkness

Reading 1/75 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.
Line 2
He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.
Line 3
His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.
Line 4
From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.
Line 5
“Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

Learner Dictionary

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

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.”

Short adjective US /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading “His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.”

All words in this reading · 49

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 He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

article

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

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

attire

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

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

back

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

backwards

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

black

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

blackness

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

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

caked

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

From this reading From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.

cupboard

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

dirt

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

From this reading From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.

gasping

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

hair

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

From this reading From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

heels

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

hole

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

Jim

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

Linton

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

load

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

now

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

only

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

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

out

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

pair

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

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

pigs

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

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

praise

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

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

said

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

sat

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

side

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

that's

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I think that’s the last load,” Jim Linton said.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.

trousers

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

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

voice

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

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading His only article of attire was a pair of short trousers.

Well

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

From this reading “Well, praise the pigs for that,” said a voice from the blackness of the cupboard.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading From his hair to his heels he was caked with dirt.

wriggled

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

From this reading He had wriggled backwards out of a black hole in the side of a black cupboard; and now sat back on his heels, gasping.