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The Mysterious Island
The Mysterious Island

Chapter XI

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Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.
The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.
Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.
As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.
But that was Neb’s affair.
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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 Mysterious Island

Chapter XI

Reading 1/63 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.
Line 2
The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.
Line 3
Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.
Line 4
As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.
Line 5
But that was Neb’s affair.

Learner Dictionary

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

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.”

All words in this reading · 81

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

7th

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

affair

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

From this reading But that was Neb’s affair.

AlreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

animal's

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

Archipelago

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

ascended

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

attacked

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

away

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

beach

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

birds

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

breakfast

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But that was Neb’s affair.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

climbed

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

colony

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

Cyrus

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

day

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

driven

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

dugong

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

elsewhere

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

engineer

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

especially

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

excellent

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

fat

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

flesh

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

flocks

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

food

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

furnish

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

Gideon

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

Harding

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

Heights

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

Herbert

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

islands

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

keep

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

leaving

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

Malay

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

mass

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

Maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

native

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

Neb

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

Neb's

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

From this reading But that was Neb’s affair.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

Pencroft

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

prepare

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

princes

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

Prospect

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

reached

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

renew

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

reporter

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

reserved

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

river

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

soon

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

Spilett

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

stones

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

store

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

stranded

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

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

table

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

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But that was Neb’s affair.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

use

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But that was Neb’s affair.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

wished

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

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony.

wood

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

From this reading The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes.