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

Chapter XII

Cover illustration for Dick Rodney
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AN INCIDENT.
By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.
I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.
I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.
I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.
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.

Dick Rodney

Chapter XII

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AN INCIDENT.
Line 2
By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.
Line 3
I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.
Line 4
I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.
Line 5
I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

Learner Dictionary

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

Among preposition US /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Fortune noun US /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.”

Rest noun US /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.”

Strangely noun US /ˈstrangely/

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

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Take noun US /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

acquired

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

all

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

aloft

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

ANdeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading AN INCIDENT.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

applied

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

assiduously

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

best

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

board

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

box

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

breeze

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

cast

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

compass

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

difference

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

fortunenounUS /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

gained

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

go

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

golden

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

heave

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

helm

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

INCIDENT

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

From this reading AN INCIDENT.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

knotting

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

knowledge

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

lay

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

learned

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

line

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

log

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

man

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

month

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

mysteries

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

opinions

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

out

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

picked

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

restnounUS /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

rope

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

rough

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

sea

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

seamanship

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

serving

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

splicing

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

spun-yarn

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

stiff

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

strangelynounUS /ˈstrangely/

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

takenounUS /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

technical

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

From this reading I acquired all the mysteries of knotting and splicing, of serving a rope with spun-yarn, and to know the technical difference between the _rope_ itself and a line.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

thus

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

topgallant

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

trick

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

turn

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

up

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

watch

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

wheel

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

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I could heave the log, box the compass, and take my "trick" at the helm with the best man on board, and thus gained the golden opinions of those among whom a rough turn of the wheel of fortune had so strangely and so suddenly cast me.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.

work

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

From this reading By the time we had been a month at sea, having applied myself assiduously to work, I picked up a little knowledge of seamanship.

yard

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

From this reading I took my turn of watch with the rest; I learned to go aloft and to lay out upon a yard in a stiff topgallant breeze.