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The horror expert
The horror expert

Chapter III

Cover illustration for The horror expert
Context Illustration Reading 1/59 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.
It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.
A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.
It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.
If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.
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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 horror expert

Chapter III

Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.
Line 2
It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.
Line 3
A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.
Line 4
It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.
Line 5
If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.”

Manuscript noun US /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading “It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.”

Same noun US /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.”

All words in this reading · 66

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 just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

alighted

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

almost

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

asking

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

ball

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

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

brow

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

cheek

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

clicking

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

drowned

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

enough

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

faint

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

fly

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

incredulous

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

just

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

kind

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

Lynn

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

manuscriptnounUS /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

metal

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

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

much

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

offices

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

out

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

paused

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

ping-pong

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

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

Prentiss

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

produced

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

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

reading

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

really

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

released-pressure

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

samenounUS /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

screen

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

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

shot

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

sound

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

startled

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

strange

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

striking

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

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading A ping-pong ball striking a metal screen might have produced such a sound.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

two

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

typewriters

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

From this reading The clicking of typewriters in two of the offices almost drowned out the sound of the shot.

unusual

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

up

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

vibrancy

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

way

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

From this reading If a fly had alighted on her cheek she might have paused in much the same way, startled, incredulous--asking herself if it really could be a fly.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.

wrinkle

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

From this reading It was strange and unusual enough to make Lynn Prentiss look up from the manuscript she was reading and wrinkle her brow.

zing

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

From this reading It was just a faint _zing_, with a released-pressure kind of vibrancy about it.