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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 Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
alarmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
almost
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From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
any
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From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
back
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From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
Darry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
faced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
fish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
instinctively
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
jerk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
leaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
MOUNTAIN
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From this reading OVER THE MOUNTAIN TOP.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
NevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
OVERprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading OVER THE MOUNTAIN TOP.
ready
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
reason
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
reptile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
rock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
snake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OVER THE MOUNTAIN TOP.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
TOP
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OVER THE MOUNTAIN TOP.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Darry was much alarmed, and with good reason.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock.