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Captain Shannon
Captain Shannon

Chapter XXIV

Cover illustration for Captain Shannon
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!
Here was a pretty kettle of fish!
For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.
But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.
And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?
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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.

Captain Shannon

Chapter XXIV

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!
Line 2
Here was a pretty kettle of fish!
Line 3
For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.
Line 4
But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.
Line 5
And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

Learner Dictionary

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

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Here was a pretty kettle of fish!”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?”

All words in this reading · 72

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 A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

ask

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

asylum

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

booking

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

brain

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

changing

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

connecting

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

considering

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

cord

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

counsels

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

country

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

demanded

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

desperate

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

faces

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

facts

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

FISH

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

From this reading A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

getting

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

HerenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Here was a pretty kettle of fish!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

keeper

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

KETTLE

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

From this reading A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!

like

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

London

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

mad

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

moment

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

motive

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!

out

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

passenger's

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

peeped

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

plans

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

PRETTY

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

From this reading A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH!

prevailed

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

pulling

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

red-bearded

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

return

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

seen

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

seriousness

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

situation

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

station

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

stopping

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

then

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

thoughts

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

train

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

unimportant

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

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

vanish

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Here was a pretty kettle of fish!

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And first I had to ask myself what could be the red-bearded passenger’s motive for booking to London, and then suddenly changing his plans and getting out at an unimportant country station?

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

wild

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

windows

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

From this reading For the first desperate moment wild thoughts of pulling the connecting cord and stopping the train peeped in my brain like the mad faces seen at the windows of an asylum.

wiser

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

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But as the mad faces vanish at the return of the keeper, so in the next moment wiser counsels prevailed and I was considering the situation with the seriousness which the facts demanded.