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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 Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
all
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From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
always
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From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
anyonepronounUS /ˈeniwʌn/
any person at all
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
bit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
breath
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From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
Compared
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From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
Dierdre
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From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
distressnounUS /dɪˈstrɛs/
extreme sadness or suffering
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
Earth-Mars
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From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
engineer
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From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
equipment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
fails
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From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
fond
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From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
freighter
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From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
gave
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From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
going
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From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
handbasket
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From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
hell
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From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
kind
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From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
kinds
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From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
magnificently
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From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
Mr
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From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
mustached
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From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
out
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From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
pockmarked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
Queen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
red-faced
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From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
roomy
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From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
saying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading Watkins was short and red-faced, magnificently mustached, and always a little out of breath.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
slow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
space
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
spaceship
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
squat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
sufficient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watkins was fond of saying that there are two kinds of equipment--the kind that fails bit by bit, and the kind that fails all at once.
vessel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
warning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The space freighter _Queen Dierdre_ was a great, squat, pockmarked vessel of the Earth-Mars run and she never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
Watkins
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From this reading That should have been sufficient warning to Mr. Watkins, her engineer.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Compared with a spaceship in distress, going to hell in a handbasket is roomy and slow!