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Derelicts
Derelicts

Chapter XII · Histoire de Revenant

Cover illustration for Derelicts
Context Illustration Reading 1/70 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.
Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.
There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.
But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.
Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.
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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.

Derelicts

Chapter XII · Histoire de Revenant

Reading 1/70 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.
Line 2
Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.
Line 3
There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.
Line 4
But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.
Line 5
Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

Learner Dictionary

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

Along preposition US /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.”

Below preposition US /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading “Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.”

During preposition US /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading “Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.”

All words in this reading · 71

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 Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

also

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.

attached

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

bathing-machines

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

begins

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

From this reading But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

Belgian

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

bustling

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.

cafés

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

Certain

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

coast

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

d'Armes

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

day

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

digue

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

dotted

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

ends

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

From this reading But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.

exodus

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

fishing

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

following

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

hotels

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

innumerable

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

Kursaal

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.

magnificent

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

market-square

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

narrow

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

night

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

old

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

Ostend

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

perish

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

Place

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

population

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

port

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

practical

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

From this reading But the Ostend of practical life begins and ends at the Kursaal.

quaint

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

requisites

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

round

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

sands

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

see

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

somewhere

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

streets

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

There

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

thousand

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

thronged

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

tiled

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

town

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

true

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

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

twenty

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

villas

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

visitors

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

way

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

From this reading Certain requisites are attached to it in the way of great hotels and villas along a tiled _digue_, and innumerable bathing-machines on the sands below.

Wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.

white

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

From this reading Ostend is a magnificent white Kursaal on the Belgian coast.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There is an old town, it is true, somewhere behind it, with quaint narrow streets, a Place d’Armes dotted round with cafés, and a thronged market-square; there is also a bustling port and a fishing population.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Were it to perish during a night, the following day would see the exodus of twenty thousand visitors.