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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 Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.
Abraham
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
all
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From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
Also
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
associated
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
aware
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
become
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
boyhood
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
Butler
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
clear
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From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
comfortable
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
condition
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From this reading Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.
degraded
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
delectable
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
drudges
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
existence
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From this reading Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
hopeless
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
knew
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
knowledge
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From this reading That was her total knowledge on the subject.
Lincoln
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
Maria
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From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
Martin
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
men
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
middle-class
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
not-nice
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From this reading Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That was her total knowledge on the subject.
other
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From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
poverty
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From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
Ruth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.
salutary
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
sharp
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
signifying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.
Silva
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From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
spur
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
subject
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From this reading That was her total knowledge on the subject.
success
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
successes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was her total knowledge on the subject.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
total
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From this reading That was her total knowledge on the subject.
urged
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From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
ways
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From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Maria Silva was poor, and all the ways of poverty were clear to her.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Also, while aware that poverty was anything but delectable, she had a comfortable middle-class feeling that poverty was salutary, that it was a sharp spur that urged on to success all men who were not degraded and hopeless drudges.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She knew Martin was poor, and his condition she associated in her mind with the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln, of Mr. Butler, and of other men who had become successes.
word
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From this reading Poverty, to Ruth, was a word signifying a not-nice condition of existence.