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The Mississippi Bubble
The Mississippi Bubble

Chapter XXXII

Cover illustration for The Mississippi Bubble
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.
It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.
Wider and wider spread the balloon of phantasm.
Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.
And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Mississippi Bubble

Chapter XXXII

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.
Line 2
It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.
Line 3
Wider and wider spread the balloon of phantasm.
Line 4
Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.
Line 5
And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

Learner Dictionary

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

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.”

NEED noun US /need/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.”

All words in this reading · 62

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

air

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

Aladdin

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

arise

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

balloon

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

From this reading Wider and wider spread the balloon of phantasm.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

bidden

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

blown

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

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

bubbles

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

chimera

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

edifice

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

eyes

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

From this reading Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.

fairy

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

film

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

fixed

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

From this reading Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.

floated

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

From this reading Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

France

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

From this reading Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.

genius

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

GREATEST

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

Higher

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

From this reading Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

illusion

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

incredible

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

indeed

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

intangible

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

iridescent

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

laughed

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

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

light

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

material

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

NEEDnounUS /need/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

now

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Higher and higher it floated, on it fixed the eyes of France.

other

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

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

outward

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

palace

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

phantasm

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

From this reading Wider and wider spread the balloon of phantasm.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

sprang

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

spread

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

From this reading Wider and wider spread the balloon of phantasm.

swiftness

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

There

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

upward

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

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

used

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

wand

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

waved

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

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading It was as though indeed this genius who had waved his wand and bidden this fairy palace of chimera to arise, had used for his material the intangible, iridescent film of bubbles, light as air.

Wider

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

From this reading Wider and wider spread the balloon of phantasm.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE GREATEST NEED There sprang now with incredible swiftness upward and outward an Aladdin edifice of illusion.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And France laughed, and asked that yet other bubbles should be blown.