Chapter III
"I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper. "It can't be good for you." "I suppose it's troublesome. Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me. When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories
Chapter III
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
"I
think
I
would
rather
be
without
so
much
excitement,"
said
his
housekeeper.
"It
can't
be
good
for
you."
"I
suppose
it's
troublesome.
Still ...
you
see,
nothing
ever
happens
to
me.
When
I
was
a
little
boy
I
never
had
accidents.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
"I
think
I
would
rather
be
without
so
much
excitement,"
said
his
housekeeper.
Line 2
"It
can't
be
good
for
you."
Line 3
"I
suppose
it's
troublesome.
Line 4
Still ...
you
see,
nothing
ever
happens
to
me.
Line 5
When
I
was
a
little
boy
I
never
had
accidents.
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Ever
noun
US /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.”
Good
noun
US /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"It can't be good for you."”
Little
noun
US /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When I was a little boy I never had accidents.”
Never
noun
US /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When I was a little boy I never had accidents.”
Nothing
pronoun
US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.”
Still
noun
US /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.”
Suppose
noun
US /ˈsuppose/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “"I suppose it's troublesome.”
Think
noun
US /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.”
Without
preposition
US /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “"I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.”
Would
modal verb
US /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “"I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.”
All words in this reading · 35
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 When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
accidents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It can't be good for you."
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
excitement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "It can't be good for you."
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "It can't be good for you."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
happens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
housekeeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It can't be good for you."
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I suppose it's troublesome.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
StillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
supposenounUS /ˈsuppose/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading "I suppose it's troublesome.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Still ... you see, nothing ever happens to me.
troublesome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I suppose it's troublesome.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When I was a little boy I never had accidents.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "I think I would rather be without so much excitement," said his housekeeper.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "It can't be good for you."