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The Crystal Stopper
The Crystal Stopper

Chapter IX

Cover illustration for The Crystal Stopper
Context Illustration Reading 1/105 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.
It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.
A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.
Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.
But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.
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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 Crystal Stopper

Chapter IX

Reading 1/105 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.
Line 2
It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.
Line 3
A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.
Line 4
Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.
Line 5
But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

Learner Dictionary

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

Appearance noun US /ˈappearance/

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

From this reading “Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.”

Beneath preposition US /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading “THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.”

Divided noun US /ˈdivided/

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

From this reading “It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.”

All words in this reading · 71

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 It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

any

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

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

appearancenounUS /ˈappearance/

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

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

arched

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

aspect

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

assumed

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

barbarous

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

came

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

captive

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

chained

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

damp

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

dividednounUS /ˈdivided/

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

down

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

fell

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

figures

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

flags

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

four

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

gleams

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

gruesome

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

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

irregular

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

large

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

light

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

LOVERS

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

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

massive

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

mildew

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

moistened

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

moment

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

pillars

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

portions

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

roof

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

room

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

showed

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

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

sinister

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

slanting

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

smell

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

sons

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

supported

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

Sébastiani

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

tall

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Its appearance at any time must have been gruesome.

torture-chamber

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

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

TOWER

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

From this reading THE LOVERS’ TOWER The torture-chamber showed beneath him.

trickled

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

truckle-bed

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

unequal

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

vision

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

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

walls

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

water

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

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.

wide

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

From this reading It was a large, irregular room, divided into unequal portions by the four wide, massive pillars that supported its arched roof.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But, at that moment, with the tall figures of Sébastiani and his sons, with the slanting gleams of light that fell between the pillars, with the vision of the captive chained down upon the truckle-bed, it assumed a sinister and barbarous aspect.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading A smell of damp and mildew came from its walls and from its flags moistened by the water that trickled from without.