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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Such minds are rare.
atomic-powered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
basic
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From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
build
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
century
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From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
companies
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
definite
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From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
deliberately
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From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
design
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
dignity
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From this reading Most minds equate dignity with dullness.
dullness
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From this reading Most minds equate dignity with dullness.
enough
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From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
equate
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From this reading Most minds equate dignity with dullness.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
example
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From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
fancy
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
hero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
imagination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
man
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From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
McGuire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
minds
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
Most
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From this reading Most minds equate dignity with dullness.
namenounUS /name/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
named
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
Nautilus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
NobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/
no person; not anyone
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
only
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From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
puckish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
rare
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From this reading Such minds are rare.
rarely
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
robot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
spaceship
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
spaceships
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
staid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
stolid
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From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
submarine
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From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
SuchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such minds are rare.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
understandnounUS /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
unsung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
weaknessnounUS /ˈwiːknəs/
a lack of physical strength
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The staid and stolid minds that run the companies which design and build spaceships rarely let their minds run to fancy.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The only example I can think of is the unsung hero of the last century who had puckish imagination enough to name the first atomic-powered submarine _Nautilus_.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading _The basic trouble with McGuire was that, though "he" was a robot spaceship, nevertheless "he" had a definite weakness that a man might understand...._ No. Nobody ever deliberately named a spaceship that.
