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Red and Black
Red and Black

Chapter XVIII

Cover illustration for Red and Black
Context Illustration Reading 1/66 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!
How many did Red have of them?
Robert Black had been away for almost a year.
Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.
People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.
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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.

Red and Black

Chapter XVIII

Reading 1/66 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!
Line 2
How many did Red have of them?
Line 3
Robert Black had been away for almost a year.
Line 4
Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.
Line 5
People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

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 “Robert Black had been away for almost a year.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “How many did Red have of them?”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.”

MORNING noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

almost

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

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

articles

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

ask

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!

away

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

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

Black

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

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

brilliant

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

ceased

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

certain

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

closed

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

columns

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

dailies

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

down

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

face

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

few

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

forgetting

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

FOUR

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

From this reading AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

How

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

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!

interesting

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

Jane

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

longer

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

man

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

many

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

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

MORNINGnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!

most

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

narrow

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

now

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

papers

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

From this reading AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!

People

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

rarest

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

Ray's

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

Red

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

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

Robert

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

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

said

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

shop

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

sign

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

street

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

surely

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

tall

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AT FOUR IN THE MORNING The morning papers!

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading How many did Red have of them?

things

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

town

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

turned

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

valuable

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

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Jane Ray’s little shop had been so long closed that few now turned down the narrow street, forgetting that the sign no longer told where the rarest and most valuable things in town surely could be found.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

write

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.

year

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

From this reading Robert Black had been away for almost a year.

young

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

From this reading People had ceased to ask who was the tall young man with the interesting face who was said to write the most brilliant articles to be found in certain columns of one of the great dailies.