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Idols
Idols

Chapter XVI

Cover illustration for Idols
Context Illustration Reading 1/57 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.
“If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”
“My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.
She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.
As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.
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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.

Idols

Chapter XVI

Reading 1/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.
Line 2
“If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”
Line 3
“My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.
Line 4
She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.
Line 5
As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.”

During preposition US /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading “An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading ““My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.”

Shall modal verb US /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading ““If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.””

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading ““If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.””

All words in this reading · 68

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 An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

always

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

amazing

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

AndeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

asylum

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

aunt

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

austere

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

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

Beechcroft

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

brief

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

child

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

dark

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

dear

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

enigma

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

find

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

granted

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

grateful

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

heroine

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

house

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

India

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

inscrutable

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

interval

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

Irene

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

lived

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

marriage

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

Miss

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

niece

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

own

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

place

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

primitive

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

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

puzzle

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

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

return

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

Robert's

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

said

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

scandal

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

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

some

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

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

temporary

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading As the heroine of this amazing scandal, her niece was a dark and inscrutable enigma.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “My house is always open to dear Robert’s child,” said Miss Beechcroft.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

views

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

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading An aunt, with whom she had lived during the brief interval between her return from India and her marriage, granted her a temporary asylum.

woman

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

From this reading She was an austere woman of primitive views, to whom Irene had ever been a puzzle.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “If you will do with me until I can find some place of my own,” said Irene, “I shall be grateful.”