Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
When the Sleeper Wakes
When the Sleeper Wakes

Chapter XV · Prominent People

Cover illustration for When the Sleeper Wakes
Context Illustration Reading 1/57 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.
He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.
From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.
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.

When the Sleeper Wakes

Chapter XV · Prominent People

Reading 1/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.
Line 2
They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.
Line 3
He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.
Line 4
From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.
Line 5
Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

Learner Dictionary

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

Above preposition US /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.”

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

Divided noun US /ˈdivided/

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

From this reading “They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.”

Plateau noun US /plateau/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.”

Seeing noun US /seeing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.”

Wind noun US /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.”

All words in this reading · 117

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 They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

accustomed

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

any

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

apartments

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

arches

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

ascending

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

astonishingly

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

bridges

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

brilliantly

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

broad

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

came

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

century

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

cloudy

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

complicated

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

descending

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

described

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

dividednounUS /ˈdivided/

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

down

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

dressed

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

entered

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

faces

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

familiar

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

far

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

filigree

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

flight

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

fresh

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

galleries

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

gentle

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

Glancing

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

Graham

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

growing

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

halls

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

head

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

hitherto

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

intricate

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

Keeper

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

landing

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

looking

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

lustreless

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

mauve

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

men

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

more

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

mystery

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

new

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

nineteenth

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

now

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

off

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

ornament

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

out

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

panels

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

passages

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

perforated

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

plateaunounUS /plateau/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

porcelain

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

position

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

purple

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

rooms

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

saw

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

scale

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

scarcely

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

screens

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

seeing

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

seen

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

sliding

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

space

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

spanned

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

state

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

steps

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

system

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

terminating

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

tier

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

united

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

From this reading They can scarcely be described as halls and rooms, seeing that a complicated system of arches, bridges, passages and galleries divided and united every part of the great space.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

upward

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

From this reading Glancing upward, he saw tier above tier of ascending galleries with faces looking down upon him.

Vane

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

very

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

vista

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

white

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.

WindnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

women

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

From this reading He came out through one of the now familiar sliding panels upon a. plateau of landing at the head of a flight of very broad and gentle steps, with men and women far more brilliantly dressed than any he had hitherto seen ascending and descending.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The state apartments of the Wind Vane Keeper would have seemed astonishingly intricate to Graham had he entered them fresh from his nineteenth century life, but already he was growing accustomed to the scale of the new time.

wrought

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

From this reading From this position he looked down a vista of intricate ornament in lustreless white and mauve and purple, spanned by bridges that seemed wrought of porcelain and filigree, and terminating far off in a cloudy mystery of perforated screens.