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Typee: A Romance of the South Seas
Typee: A Romance of the South Seas

Chapter XXVIII

Cover illustration for Typee: A Romance of the South Seas
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.
Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.
Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.
I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.
But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.
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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.

Typee: A Romance of the South Seas

Chapter XXVIII

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.
Line 2
Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.
Line 3
Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.
Line 4
I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.
Line 5
But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

Learner Dictionary

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

Although noun US /ˈalthough/

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

From this reading “Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.”

Another noun US /ˈanother/

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

From this reading “Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.”

Dreadful adjective US /ˈdrɛdfəl/

extremely frightening or unpleasant

From this reading “Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.”

Perhaps noun US /perhaps/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.”

Third noun US /third/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

aloft

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

AlthoughnounUS /ˈalthough/

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

awful

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

cloth

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

companion

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

consternation

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

convince

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

doubts

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdrɛdfəl/

extremely frightening or unpleasant

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

enough

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

entered

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

fatal

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

fate

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

folds

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

glimpse

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

God

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

Gracious

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

head

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

heads

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

hoisted

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

horror

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

islanders

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

just

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

laboured

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

longed

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

lost

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

man

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

mistaken

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

more

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

mystery

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

off

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

once

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

packages

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

perhaps

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

quickly

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

recovered

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

removed

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

revealed

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

satisfied

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

shocking

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

sight

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

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

solved

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

solving

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

spectacle

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Although it had been quickly removed from my sight, still the glimpse I had of it was enough to convince me that I could not be mistaken.

swung

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

thirdnounUS /third/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

thoughts

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

three

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

thrown

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

From this reading But before I had recovered from the consternation into which I had been thrown, the fatal packages were hoisted aloft, and once more swung over my head.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

torn

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

Two

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading I longed to have torn off the folds of cloth and satisfied the awful doubts under which I laboured.

white

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

From this reading Two of the three were heads of the islanders; but the third, to my horror, was that of a white man.

witnessed

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

From this reading Gracious God! what dreadful thoughts entered my head; in solving this mystery perhaps I had solved another, and the fate of my lost companion might be revealed in the shocking spectacle I had just witnessed.