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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 AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
advantages
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From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
arid
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
bare
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
barrières
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
cards
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
cigarette
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
coinage
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From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
down
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
dusty
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
elder
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
ends
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
faut
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
fortunenounUS /ˈfortune/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
Galvez
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
gambled
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
glanced
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
high
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
hour
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
hour's
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
il
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
illustrating
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From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
immediate
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
indiquer
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
indulgence
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
kindred
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
lay
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
Les
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
like
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
men
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
minute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
neighbourhood
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
où
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
passer
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
plain
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From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
played
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
quietly
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From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
ride
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
rock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
rocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
sat
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
servent
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
shoulder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
siesta
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
sprinkling
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
Talavera
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
tape
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
testified
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From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
Toledo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
Torrijos
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
two
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
varying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
vice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
vociferation
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From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
west
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From this reading AN hour’s ride to the west of Toledo, on the road to Torrijos and Talavera, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Galvez, two men sat in the shadow of a great rock, and played cards.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The elder of the two men glanced from time to time over his shoulder, and down towards the dusty high road which lay across the arid plain beneath them like a tape.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading They had gambled with varying fortune since the hour of the siesta, and a sprinkling of cigarette ends on the bare rocks around them testified to the indulgence in a kindred vice.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading They played quietly and without vociferation, illustrating the advantages of a minute coinage.
à
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From this reading ‘Les barrières servent à indiquer où il faut passer.’