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Chapter 2, section 1: My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons. He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound a
Context Illustration Reading 1/16 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.
He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.
There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.
Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.
When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Blue Fairy Book: East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Chapter II

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.
Line 2
He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.
Line 3
There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.
Line 4
Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.
Line 5
When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.”

Apprentice noun US /əˈprɛntɪs/

a person learning a trade from an experienced worker

From this reading “He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.”

Fortune noun US /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading “There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.”

Third noun US /third/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

always

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

apprenticenounUS /əˈprɛntɪs/

a person learning a trade from an experienced worker

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

arts

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

back

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

Bates

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

believed

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

bound

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

Burton

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

Cambridge

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

came

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

daughter

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

Edmund

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

estate

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

famous

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

father

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

fortunenounUS /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

four

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

fourteen

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

hosier

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

house

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

learning

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

leaving

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

London

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

married

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

Mary

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

master

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

Miss

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

money

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

Mr

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

navigation

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

Nottinghamshire

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

now

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

old

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

other

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

recommended

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

sent

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

settled

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

ship's

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

small

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

some

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

sons

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

spent

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

studying

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

sums

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

surgeon

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

Swallow

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

taken

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

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

then

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

there

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

thirdnounUS /third/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

three

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

travel

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

useful

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

voyaged

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire, and I was the third of four sons.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When I came back I settled in London, and, having taken part of a small house, I married Miss Mary Burton, daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Three years after my leaving him my good master, Mr. Bates, recommended me as ship’s surgeon to the “Swallow,” on which I voyaged three years.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading There, as my father now and then sent me small sums of money, I spent them in learning navigation, and other arts useful to those who travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my fortune to do.

years

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

From this reading He sent me to Cambridge at fourteen years old, and after studying there three years I was bound apprentice to Mr. Bates, a famous surgeon in London.

Chapter Quiz

What is the central dramatic focus and narrative resolution in 'Act 02: The Culmination of The Blue Fairy Book: East of the Sun and West of the Moon — The Triumph & The Moral Legacy'?

How does the author establish suspense and intellectual depth in this passage?

What primary pedagogical insight does this masterwork provide for advanced English scholars?