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Four Short Stories By Emile Zola
Four Short Stories By Emile Zola

Chapter XVI · The Attack on the Mill

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Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.
The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.
For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”
And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.
They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.
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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.

Four Short Stories By Emile Zola

Chapter XVI · The Attack on the Mill

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.
Line 2
The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.
Line 3
For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”
Line 4
And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.
Line 5
They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

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 “For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!””

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!””

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.”

All words in this reading · 65

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 month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

advancing

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

announcing

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

beaten

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

day

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

descend

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

drawing

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

emperor

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

expected

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

forced

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

fright

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

From this reading They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

Gagny

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

hearing

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

highway

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

hurried

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

increased

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

From this reading They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

later

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

Lormiere

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

Louis

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

marches

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

month

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

near

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They did not come, however, and that increased the fright.

Novelles

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

past

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

people

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

preceding

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

Prussians

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

rapidly

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

Rocreuse

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

Saint

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

see

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

state

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

terror

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

thus

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

village

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A month later, on the day preceding that of Saint Louis, Rocreuse was in a state of terror.

week

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

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The Prussians had beaten the emperor and were advancing by forced marches toward the village.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading For a week past people who hurried along the highway had been announcing them thus: “They are at Lormiere—they are at Novelles!”

wood

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

From this reading And on hearing that they were drawing near so rapidly, Rocreuse every morning expected to see them descend from the wood of Gagny.