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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 It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
Assumption
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From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
Aunt
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From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
basket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/
next to; at the side of
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
bits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
carefully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
cloth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
cloudy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
doing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
dust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
extracted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
FirstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
Giovanna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
gold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
grain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
ground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
heaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
hot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
Martina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
perform
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
piece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
piled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
placed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
portico
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
pregnant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
sieve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
sifted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
spinningnounUS /ˈspɪnɪŋ/
the act of making thread from fibers
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
stirred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First she stirred the grain around in the sieve and extracted all bits of stone, then she sifted it carefully into a piece of cloth placed in a large basket that stood before her.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
Usually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
vigil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
Wednesday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the vigil of the Assumption, a hot, cloudy Wednesday.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Aunt Martina sat on the portico spinning, while Giovanna, who was pregnant, sifted grain near by.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was seated on the ground, and beside her was another basket heaped with grain that looked as though it were piled with gold dust.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Usually two women perform this task, but Giovanna was doing it alone.
