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The skeleton crew
The skeleton crew

Chapter XXXVI

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Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.
In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.
But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.
The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.
In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The skeleton crew

Chapter XXXVI

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.
Line 2
In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.
Line 3
But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.
Line 4
The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.
Line 5
In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

Learner Dictionary

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

Blood noun US /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.”

Gentlemen noun US /gentlemen/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.”

Robbers noun US /ˈrɒb.ərz/

Persons who steal from a person or place, especially using violence or threats.

From this reading “In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.”

All words in this reading · 79

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 A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

also

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

always

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

ANDY

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

BARNABAS

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

BloodnounUS /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

carried

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

carrier

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

From this reading The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.

coaches

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

Colonel

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

country

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

Darlington

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

days

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

eighty

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

Ellen's

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

else

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

From this reading The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.

especial

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

faster

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

friends

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

gentlemennounUS /gentlemen/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

hours

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

JEW

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

judgment

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

letters

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

LOVER

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

MANIAC

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

MEETS

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

messages

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

messenger

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

miles

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

more

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

much

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.

number

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

occasion

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

pigeon

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

From this reading The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.

pigeons

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

prove

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

RECEPTION

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

ridden

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

robbersnounUS /ˈrɒb.ərz/

Persons who steal from a person or place, especially using violence or threats.

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

ROUGH

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

seats

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

selected

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

selecting

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

showed

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

slow

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

swift

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

From this reading But Ellen’s friends had also selected a swift messenger, and a much faster one than the Jew could ever prove to be.

ten

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In selecting Barnabas as an especial messenger to Darlington, Colonel Blood showed good judgment, for on more than one occasion the Jew had ridden eighty miles in ten hours.

trained

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

TRAVELS

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

From this reading A ROUGH RECEPTION—THE JEW ON HIS TRAVELS—ANDY, THE MANIAC LOVER, MEETS BARNABAS.

unsafe

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The messenger was nothing else than a carrier pigeon.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading In those days, when coaches were slow and letters unsafe for robbers, gentlemen always had by them a number of trained pigeons, who carried messages to and from their country seats.