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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 For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
adobe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
AlongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
American
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
border
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
bright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
buildings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
clean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
contented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
dusty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
fairly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
gambling-hell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
guarding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
improvident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
Klein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
leisurely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
Mexican
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
Mexico
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
months
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
notorious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
orderly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
overscrupulous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
patrols
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
pitchednounUS /pitched/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
ran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
Rudolph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
self-respecting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
soldiers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
strip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
tent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
towns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
unkempt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
view
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
