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The Yellow Crayon
The Yellow Crayon

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Yellow Crayon
Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.
The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.
From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.
And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.
As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.
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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 Yellow Crayon

Chapter I

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.
Line 2
The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.
Line 3
From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.
Line 4
And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.
Line 5
As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.”

Pleasant noun US /pleasant/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.”

Resting noun US /ˈresting/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.”

Splendour noun US /ˈsplendər/

magnificent and impressive appearance

From this reading “From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

arms

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

beds

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

bees

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

blaze

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

blind

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

came

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

chair

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

chink

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

clematis

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

darkened

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

day

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

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

eyes

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

fashion

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

fixed

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

floating

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

floor

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

flower

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

flowers

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

folded

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

forced

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

gorgeous

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

half-opened

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

high-backed

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

insects

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

inside

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

late

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

lazier

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

made

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

man

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

many

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

murmur

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

night

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

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

perfume

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

piazza

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

pleasantnounUS /pleasant/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

purple

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

restingnounUS /ˈresting/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

room

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

sat

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

splendournounUS /ˈsplendər/

magnificent and impressive appearance

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

steadily

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

stole

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

strange

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

stretched

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

summer-time

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

sunlight

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

then

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

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

there

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

vacancy

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

From this reading And inside, in a high-backed chair, there sat a man, his arms folded, his eyes fixed steadily upon vacancy.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

way

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

whole

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

From this reading As he sat then, so had he sat for a whole day and a whole night.

window

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

From this reading It was late summer-time, and the perfume of flowers stole into the darkened room through the half-opened window.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading From without came the pleasant murmur of bees and many lazier insects floating over the gorgeous flower beds, resting for a while on the clematis which had made the piazza a blaze of purple splendour.

zigzag

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

From this reading The sunlight forced its way through a chink in the blind, and stretched across the floor in strange zigzag fashion.