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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 “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
absence
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From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
blacken
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From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
blast
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From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
burnverbUS /bɜːrn/
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
case
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From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
climate
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From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
decadence
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From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
Decaying
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From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
dewdrops
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From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
districts
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From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
don't
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From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
earth
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From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
enough
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From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
fermentation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
fire
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From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
fire-making
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From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
flamenounUS /fleɪm/
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
focused
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From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
gives
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From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
heat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
Lightning
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From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
man
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From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
occasionally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
rare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
rarely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
results
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
rise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
smoulder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
sun's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
temperate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth.
tropical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
vegetation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The sun’s heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts.
widespread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I don’t know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate.
