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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 A MOVING ISLAND “They’re coming!”
abreast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
beating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
bow
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From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
brown
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From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
caribou
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From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
close
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From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
coming
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From this reading A MOVING ISLAND “They’re coming!”
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
crackling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
Duncan's
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From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
ears
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From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
easy
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From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
faint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
Faye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
herd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
ISLAND
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MOVING ISLAND “They’re coming!”
Johnny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
lay
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From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
MOVING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MOVING ISLAND “They’re coming!”
narrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
quarter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
rise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
shot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
snow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
space
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
They're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MOVING ISLAND “They’re coming!”
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading From this place they could see nothing before them.
Thompson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They lay close together on the snow against a little rise of land.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
valley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
whispered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson thought he heard the beating of Faye Duncan’s heart as she whispered these words in his ears.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A faint crackling sound was all that told them that a moving island of brown, a great herd of caribou, was moving up the narrow valley and would, within the space of a quarter of an hour, be abreast of them and within easy bow shot.
