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The castaways of the flag
The castaways of the flag

Chapter XI

Cover illustration for The castaways of the flag
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.
In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.
“It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.
“Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”
“But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”
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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 castaways of the flag

Chapter XI

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.
Line 2
In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.
Line 3
“It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.
Line 4
“Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”
Line 5
“But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

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 ““But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?””

Captain noun US /ˈcaptain/

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

From this reading ““It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.””

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading ““But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?””

John noun US /john/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.””

Length noun US /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading ““It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.”

Perhaps noun US /perhaps/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.””

Replied noun US /replied/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.””

Shall modal verb US /ʃæl/

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

From this reading ““Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.””

Ship noun US /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading ““Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.””

Towards preposition US /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading “THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.”

All words in this reading · 72

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 In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

All

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

Block

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

borne

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

breath

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

breathing

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

breeze

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

CaptainnounUS /ˈcaptain/

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

coast

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

couldn't

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

From this reading “But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

distance

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

excitement

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

eyes

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

faint

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

falls

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

few

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

fired

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

From this reading “But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

FLAG

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

Gould

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

hearts

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

horizon

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

intently

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

It's

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

John

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

land

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

From this reading “But couldn’t those shots have been fired on land?”

lengthnounUS /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

lights

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

listening

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

more

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

motionless

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

night

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

northern

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

off

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

only

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

out

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

passing

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

PEAK

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

perhaps

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

rang

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

repliednounUS /replied/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

reports

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

said

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

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

scarcely

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

see

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

shipnounUS /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It’s a ship passing off the coast!” said Captain Gould at length.

shots

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

sound

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

tense

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In the distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath of the breeze.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

turned

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

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE FLAG ON THE PEAK All stood motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

Yes

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

From this reading “Yes; those reports can only come from a ship,” John Block replied; “when night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights.”