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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 The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
calamity
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From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
common
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
contented
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
day
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
DEPOSED
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From this reading DEPOSED.
dire
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From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
door
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
ear
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
especially
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From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
exactly
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From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
falls
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
familiar
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
heard
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From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
hears
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
heart
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
indifference
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
knows
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From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
like
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
mother
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From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
murmured
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
once
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From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
opening
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
recognises
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From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
second
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
seems
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From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
singing
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
sound
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
stroke
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
swift
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
sword
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
tea-kettle
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
thousand
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
times
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From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
twentieth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
well
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From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
