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The Blazed Trail
The Blazed Trail

Chapter II

Cover illustration for The Blazed Trail
Context Illustration Reading 1/74 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.
The whole affair was very crude.
To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.
Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.
The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.
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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.

The Blazed Trail

Chapter II

Reading 1/74 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.
Line 2
The whole affair was very crude.
Line 3
To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.
Line 4
Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.
Line 5
The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

Learner Dictionary

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

Blackened adjective US /ˈblækənd/

made dark by burning or soot made dark by soot, burning, or black marks

From this reading “The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.”

Camp noun US /camp/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.”

Crawling noun US /ˈcrawling/

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

From this reading “On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.”

Question noun US /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading “On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.”

Towards preposition US /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading “On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.”

Track noun US /træk/

a route or signs showing the way someone went

From this reading “On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.”

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 On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

affair

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

From this reading The whole affair was very crude.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

badly

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

black

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

blackenedadjectiveUS /ˈblækənd/

made dark by burning or soot made dark by soot, burning, or black marks

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

camp

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

civilization

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

country

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

crawling

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

crude

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

From this reading The whole affair was very crude.

curtain

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

daylight

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

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

dense

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

edge

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

evening

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

feet

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

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

few

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

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

fire

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

forty

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

furrows

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

gouged

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

laid

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

led

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

like

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

many

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

miles

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

penetrated

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

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

pushed

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

questionnounUS /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

Radway's

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

right-of-way

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

rough

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

Saginaw

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

shutting

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

sight

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

From this reading Even by daylight the sight could have penetrated but a few feet.

some

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

southeast

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

stumps

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

swamp

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

thirty

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

tracknounUS /træk/

a route or signs showing the way someone went

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

train

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

upturned

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

Valley

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

varied

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

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.

very

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

From this reading The whole affair was very crude.

view

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

virgin

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

From this reading To the edge of the right-of-way pushed the dense swamp, like a black curtain shutting the virgin country from the view of civilization.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading On the evening in question, some thirty or forty miles southeast of Radway's camp, a train was crawling over a badly laid track which led towards the Saginaw Valley.

whole

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

From this reading The whole affair was very crude.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The right-of-way itself was rough with upturned stumps, blackened by fire, and gouged by many and varied furrows.