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The Magic Skin
The Magic Skin

Chapter XXVIII

Cover illustration for The Magic Skin
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.
She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.
So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.
She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.
The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.
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Speed 0.75x
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 Magic Skin

Chapter XXVIII

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.
Line 2
She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.
Line 3
So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.
Line 4
She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.
Line 5
The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

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 “Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.”

Appearance noun US /ˈappearance/

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

From this reading “She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.”

Spinning noun US /ˈspɪnɪŋ/

the act of making thread from fibers

From this reading “Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.”

Wherever conjunction US /weˈrevər/

in or to any place at all

From this reading “The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.”

All words in this reading · 85

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 Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

all

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

appearancenounUS /ˈappearance/

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

appeared

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

Auvergnate

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

Auvergne

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.

bench

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

came

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

cap

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

child

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

comfortable-looking

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

dialect

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

district

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

dogs

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

door

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

down

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

dress

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

embodiment

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

face

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

figure

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

followed

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

full

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

general

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

greeted

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

From this reading She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.

hardworking

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

heartiness

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

high-colored

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

ignorance

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

listening

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

man

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

met

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

mother

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

old

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

peasant

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

person

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

quieted

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

Raphael

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

From this reading She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.

sat

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

saying

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

soon

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

sort

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

spinningnounUS /ˈspɪnɪŋ/

the act of making thread from fibers

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

stamp

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

staring

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

straightforward

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

stranger

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

sun

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

talk

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

From this reading She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.

teeth

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She greeted Raphael, and they began to talk.

thirty

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

thorough

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

threshold

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

thrift

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

Very

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

ways

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

From this reading So was her dialect; she was a thorough embodiment of her district; its hardworking ways, its thrift, ignorance, and heartiness all met in her.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

whereverconjunctionUS /weˈrevər/

in or to any place at all

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

white

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

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She was an Auvergnate, a high-colored, comfortable-looking, straightforward sort of person, with white teeth; her cap and dress, the face, full figure, and general appearance, were of the Auvergne peasant stamp.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

woman

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.

word

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

From this reading The dogs quieted down; the old man went and sat on a bench in the sun; the child followed his mother about wherever she went, listening without saying a word, and staring at the stranger.

years

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

From this reading Very soon a woman who seemed to be about thirty years old appeared on the threshold of the door, spinning as she came.