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Through One Administration
Through One Administration

Chapter XXII

Cover illustration for Through One Administration
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.
What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.
The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.
For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.
It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!
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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.

Through One Administration

Chapter XXII

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.
Line 2
What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.
Line 3
The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.
Line 4
For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.
Line 5
It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

None pronoun US /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Perhaps noun US /perhaps/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.”

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 What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

away

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

Bertha

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

compliment

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

confused

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

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

corner

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

doors

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

eating

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

face

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

felt

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

few

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

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

friendly

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

fro

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

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

given

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

greater

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

happier

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

hour

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

ices

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

jest

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

knew

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

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

laughter

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

leaving

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

listening

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

man

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

moved

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

murmur

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

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

number

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

passing

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

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

people

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

perhaps

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

quiet

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

reflections

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

scarcely

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

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

seconds

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

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

see

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

some

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

speaking

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

supper-room

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

Tredennis

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

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

voices

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

From this reading The murmur of voices and passing to and fro confused him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was of Bertha these people had been speaking--of Bertha, and it was Bertha he could see through the open doors of the supper-room, eating ices, listening to compliment and laughter and jest!

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They moved away and went to the supper-room themselves, leaving Tredennis to his reflections.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What these were he scarcely knew himself for a few seconds.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

willing

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

year

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.

years

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

From this reading For half an hour of quiet in some friendly corner, where none could see his face, he felt that he would have given a year or so of his life--perhaps a greater number of years than a happier man would have been willing to part with.