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The Strollers
The Strollers

Chapter II

Cover illustration for The Strollers
Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.
A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.
Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.
The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:
"Hullo there!"
0:00 / 0:00
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 Strollers

Chapter II

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.
Line 2
A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.
Line 3
Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.
Line 4
The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:
Line 5
"Hullo there!"

Learner Dictionary

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

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:”

Drew noun US /drew/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

branches

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

called

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

came

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

day

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

depressing

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

down

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

drewnounUS /drew/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

dripping

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

driver

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

drizzly

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

eaves

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

fell

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

foliage

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

foreground

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

FRIEND

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

ground

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

horses

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

Hullo

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

From this reading "Hullo there!"

immediate

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

imperatively

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

inn

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

landscape

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

limpid

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

log

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

lost

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

mist

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

monotony

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

named

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

number

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

old

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

Only

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

out

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

pail

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

place

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

road

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

settled

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

Shadengo

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

speckled

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

swimming

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

teamster

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

there

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

From this reading "Hullo there!"

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

TRAVELERS

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

trees

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

trough

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

trout

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

up

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

From this reading The driver drew up his horses before the Travelers' Friend--as the place was named--and called out imperatively:

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

Valley

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

varied

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

view

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

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.

visible

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE TRAVELERS' FRIEND It was a drizzly day in the Shadengo Valley.

water

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

watering

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

waters

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

well

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Only the immediate foreground was visible to a teamster who came down the road--the trees with dripping branches, and the inn from the eaves of which water fell to the ground with depressing monotony; the well with its pail for watering the horses and the log trough in whose limpid waters a number of speckled trout were swimming.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A mist had settled down upon the old inn; lost to view was the landscape with its varied foliage.