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The Starbucks
The Starbucks

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for The Starbucks
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.
"This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.
She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.
She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.
In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.
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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 Starbucks

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.
Line 2
"This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.
Line 3
She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.
Line 4
She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.
Line 5
In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

Learner Dictionary

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

Amid preposition US /əˈmɪd/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading “She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.”

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.”

Dead noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.”

Replied noun US /replied/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

back

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

best

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

book

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

came

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

deadnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

die

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

explained

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

flowers

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

girl

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

go

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

gulch

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

HERdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.

hero

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

heroine

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

like

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

looks

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

man

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

meant

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

mother

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

music

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

nature

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

night

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

place

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

play-house

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

PLAYED

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

From this reading THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.

pretty

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

read

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

repliednounUS /replied/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

said

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

scenery

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

slowly

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

SPIRIT

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

From this reading THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

sweet

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

THATconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.

theatre

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

there

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

Tom

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

up

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

walked

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

From this reading "This looks like the scenery in a theatre," said Tom, as slowly they walked up the gulch.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE SPIRIT THAT PLAYED WITH HER.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading She asked him what he meant and he explained as best he could the nature of a play-house, where to sweet music and amid flowers the hero told the heroine that he would die for her.

wrong

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

From this reading She replied that it must be pretty, but that a book which she had read told her that it was wrong to go to such a place.

young

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

From this reading In this book there was a girl, and one night she went with a young man to a theatre and when she came back her mother was dead.